By Rebecca McPhee, Accredited Practising Dietitian and Health Coach
The advancement of technology in recent years has transformed the way we manage diabetes. Today, blood glucose levels and carbohydrate intake can be tracked more easily and accurately through mobile apps. These digital tools provide real-time data, personalised insights, and often integrate with glucose meters and wearable devices, offering a more convenient and proactive approach to diabetes management than ever before.
Considerations when choosing an app
- Australian food database: Opt for apps that utilise Australian food databases to ensure accurate nutritional information.
- Units of measurement: Ensure the app uses Australian units such as mmol/L for blood glucose and grams for carbohydrates.
- Integration with devices: Apps that sync with glucose meters or continuous glucose monitors (CGM) can provide more accurate tracking and insights.
The following 10 apps are tailored to the Australian market, ensuring accurate data and relevant features for users in Australia. They can be downloaded from the respective app stores or accessed through their official websites.
1. Glucose Buddy Diabetes Tracker
- Description: Track BGLs, medication, HbAlc, weight and carb intake through food database.
- Features: Track trends in BGLs, insulin, weight, HbAlc. Comprehensive education plan featuring 5-minute lessons available. ‘Meal IQ’ to help make better food choices. Integrates with Dexcom and Apple Health.
2. mySugr
- Description: An intuitive app designed to make diabetes management easy. It syncs with Accu-Chek meters for seamless data logging.
- Features: Blood glucose logging, meal tracking, estimated HbA1c, and bolus calculator.
- Availability: Available on iOS and Android.
- Description: A comprehensive food database app that provides nutritional information, including carbohydrate content, for a wide range of foods.
- Features: Free. Barcode scanning, meal logging, and personalised nutrition tracking.
- Availability: Available on iOS and Android. Note: Ensure you download the Australian version for accurate data.
- Description: An Australian-developed app that allows users to log meals and track nutritional intake, including carbohydrates.
- Features: Free. Food database, meal planning, and progress tracking.
- Availability: Available on iOS and Android.
5. SNAQ – Diabetes Carb Counting
- Description: An app that uses image recognition to estimate carbohydrate content in meals.
- Features: Photo-based carb estimation, glucose level insights, and meal tracking.
- Availability: Available on iOS and Android.
- Description: Weight loss calorie counter (including carbohydrates).
- Features: Free. Food data base. Choose ‘Australian data’ in settings.
- Availability: Available on iOS.
- Description: Health and nutrition tracking (including carbohydrates).
- Features: Free. Extensive food data base. Barcoding and meal plan logging. Syncs with fitness trackers and apps. No BGL or insulin logging.
- Availability: Available on iOS and Android.
- Description: An app that works with the FreeStyle Libre sensor to provide real-time glucose readings.
- Features: Continuous glucose monitoring, trend analysis, and alerts.
- Availability: Available on iOS and Android.
- Description: An app that syncs with CONTOUR™ connected meters to provide detailed insights into blood glucose patterns.
- Features: Blood glucose tracking, activity logging and log carbs; trend analysis.
- Availability: Available on Android.
10. Vively
- Description: A comprehensive diabetes management platform that offers continuous glucose monitoring (CGM) and personalised nutrition coaching.
- Features: Real-time glucose tracking, meal logging, sleep and activity integration, and dietitian support. Wearable integration – you can sync with Apple Health and other wearables to get a complete view of your health metrics.
- Availability: Available on iOS and Android.
By selecting an app that aligns with your specific needs and preferences, you can enhance your diabetes management and make informed decisions about your health.
