Positive Health Online

Research conducted by Kilo Health has confirmed that mindful eating can help manage chronic diseases such as diabetes and hypertension. As a result, it's clear that a personalized, mindful approach to eating can improve well-being and have a positive impact on overall health.

Personalized nutrition is a term that we are quickly starting to hear more about. The 2020 research paper Guiding Principles for the Implementation of Personalized Nutrition Approaches That Benefit Health and Function defines personalized nutrition as “individual-specific information, founded in evidence-based science, to promote dietary behavior change that may result in measurable health benefits.” Its growing popularity is being driven by a wide range of factors, from a burgeoning body of scientific research and growing awareness of the concept to increased access to technology. 

Technology and food have always been intertwined. Throughout history, mankind has used available technology to improve food production. Not surprisingly, science and technology are at the forefront of the global fight for food security and the search for more sustainable, healthier options. Now, technology is making personalized nutrition more accessible to people across the US – helping them improve their health and manage conditions like diabetes and pre-diabetes through better nutrition.

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Klinio creates meal plans to avoid risks associated with fluctuating blood glucose

Up Close and Personal

A 2020 study published in the Journal of Human Nutrition and Dietetics, Personalised Nutrition Technologies: A New Paradigm For Dietetic Practice And Training In A Digital Transformation Era, states, “Patient‐centered care is a cornerstone of modern dietetics practice. A key tenant underlying this approach is the individualisation of guidance based on the patient’s specific needs and, in a broad sense, treating the patient and not the disease.”

“In parallel, personalization has recently developed as a trend in the consumer nutrition and wellness area. Numerous apps, programs, platforms and plans are now aimed at delivering a personalized experience for the user based on profiling of an individual’s demographics, genotype, nutritional intake and status, anthropometrics, lifestyle behaviors, and/or preferences.”

The paper underlines exactly how the scientific evidence for personalized nutrition is growing. It highlights a substantial improvement in outcomes compared to more traditional approaches and even a noticeable impact on patient survival in a clinical setting. With nearly half the adult population in the USA affected by diabetes or prediabetes, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), personalized nutrition plans could be the key to reducing rates of both diseases. But to really make a dent, their use needs to be widespread – and technology that makes personalized nutrition more accessible can only help. But what kind of technology are we talking about?

At Our Fingertips

One of the key technologies enabling personalized nutrition for diabetes and prediabetes is continuous glucose monitoring (CGM). Previously, people with diabetes had to test themselves regularly – but if their glucose levels changed, it could be difficult to figure out what food or activity caused the change since the last test. 

CGM devices, however, provide real-time glucose readings – allowing individuals to track how different foods and activities affect their blood glucose levels and eliminating the guesswork. CGM data can be integrated with mobile apps and online platforms to provide personalized dietary recommendations based on an individual's own food intake and known glucose patterns.

"Technology has permeated every aspect of our lives. This includes diabetes management and nutrition," says RD Terri Ryan, Klinio medical consultant, and CDCES author. "Diabetes is one of the areas where technology has made great strides. People with diabetes can now monitor their blood glucose continuously or check it occasionally with a meter."

These types of technologies mean that individual users can download data from their devices on demand and then review the results themselves or share them with their healthcare team for further analysis. It's important to remember that numbers alone are only part of the picture, and it's also necessary to know how those numbers are affected by other factors.

CGM is far from the only technological advance that has become fully accessible to large segments of the population. Advances in genetic testing have made it possible and affordable to identify specific genetic markers related to metabolism. This is invaluable in tailoring each person's diet to their unique genetic makeup. 

Users are also spoilt for choice when it comes to mobile apps that offer personalized nutritional advice, food tracking apps to keep an eye on their food intake, and even more apps and gadgets to track their activity levels. 

Technology is not only becoming more advanced but also easier to use: a mobile phone is all you need to access a wealth of information. Tips and helpful resources for managing health and wellness through personalized nutrition are just a swipe away. This availability and convenience is a powerful tool that can help combat diabetes, prediabetes, and everything else that comes with it. 

"In many ways, diabetes could be described as a 'package deal,'" Terri Ryan explains. "It comes with the added possibility of high cholesterol, high blood pressure, thyroid disease, celiac disease, and a few other not-so-fun things. Some people are lucky enough to escape parts of the package, but others may have one or more. Many of these things related to the ‘diabetes package’ have nutritional and genetic components.” 

"Your genetics are the part of diabetes you can't control, but your diet is one of the things you can control."

The Klinio app can help people with chronic conditions, such as diabetes and hypertension, better manage their conditions by providing personalized nutrition advice along with other weight management tools.

Further Information

To find out more, visit: https://funnel.klinio.com