In Germany, there are currently about eight million people with diabetes, and twelve out of every 1,000 people develop diabetes within a year. Worldwide, the number of people with diabetes is estimated to increase to 700 million by 2045. Apps are designed to motivate people to lead a healthy lifestyle. Through a professional and individually adapted change in diet, people can also prevent a disease such as diabetes and even positively influence its course.

According to the Federal Ministry of Health, diabetes mellitus (diabetes) is an umbrella term for various metabolic diseases. What they all have in common is that they lead to increased blood sugar levels because the patients have a deficiency of the hormone insulin and/or the insulin effect is reduced.

In Germany, there are currently about eight million people with diabetes, reports the platform Statista.com. Within a year, twelve out of every 1,000 people develop diabetes. This means that more than 600,000 new cases are diagnosed every year. This corresponds to about 1600 new cases per day. Current results of the Robert Koch Institute show that a total of 7.2 percent of adults (4.6 million) aged 18 to 79 have ever been diagnosed with diabetes. According to current knowledge, about 90 per cent of all diabetes cases can be attributed to type 2 diabetes. The trend is dramatic: according to the International Diabetes Federation's 2019 Diabetes Atlas, 463 million people worldwide are living with diabetes (without distinguishing between diabetes types). By 2045, this number is estimated to grow to 700 million.

Do apps have great potential in diabetes prevention?

The problem according to the trade portal "Handelsblatt Inside Digital Health": "Germans are living increasingly unhealthy lives. The German Diabetes Society (DGG) calls for active action against the disease. It recently appealed to politicians to promote the prevention of diabetes as well as the prevention of covid-19," it says. The medium further quotes DGG Executive Director Barbara Bitzer: "All prevention efforts so far have failed because they don't reach the people they were supposed to reach."

This is why Peter Schwarz, a professor of diabetes prevention in Dresden, sees great potential in apps (i.e. as a digital health application DiGa). Together with colleagues, he has developed the app "Videa bewegt", which aims to encourage users to exercise more. "Digitalisation can make offers that really help," says Schwarz in an interview with "Handelsblatt Inside Digital Health". "Apps can motivate people to exercise more and eat healthier."

Daily motivation through an app

The background: type 2 diabetes is promoted by poor nutrition and lack of exercise. A healthy lifestyle is crucial to counteract the disease. The app is intended to promote self-management. This works, for example, via the colour codes red, yellow and green, which indicate whether a behaviour is desirable. "If a doctor reminds you of a healthy lifestyle every few months in the consultation, that is not as efficient as daily motivation through an app," says Professor Peter Schwarz according to "Handelsblatt Inside Digital Health".

The diabetologist is optimistic. He assumes that patients with type 2 diabetes will first be prescribed a DiGa in a few years," says Peter Schwarz. Only then would a drug be prescribed." The DiGa would soon be so effective that in many cases the disease would be cured. According to "Handelsblatt Inside Digital Health", the possibility of being approved as a DiGa by the Federal Institute for Drugs and Medical Devices is attractive for app manufacturers. The high number of diabetes type 2 patients means that many apps are being developed to promote exercise and nutrition.

Not only relying on digital helpers

The possibility of being approved as a DiGa by the Federal Institute for Drugs and Medical Devices is attractive for app manufacturers. The high number of diabetes type 2 patients is leading to the emergence of many app offers for promoting exercise and nutrition. In addition to Professor Schwarz's app, "Handelsblatt Inside Digital Health" reports, among others, on the apps Vitadio and Zanadio, which are explicitly aimed at diabetes prevention and want to motivate people to lead a healthy lifestyle.

Of course, it is important not to rely only on digital helpers. Through a professional and individually adapted change in diet, people can prevent a disease like diabetes and even positively influence its course. Medications can also be reduced or even discontinued. It is important to find the right way of eating based on the respective health needs and challenges. Because it often takes an impulse from outside to change something. And, of course, the knowledge of what exactly to do.

Energy boost for body and mind

Vitamins and numerous other natural substances as food supplements are also important. For example, the combination of vitamins B, C, D, E and beta-carotene, various enzymes, important amino acids, trace elements and other secondary plant substances: such a combination is a real energy boost for body and mind. Vitality and drive, immune system, stress resistance, fat reduction and much more - nature helps comprehensively with its substances.

It is especially important to boost the metabolism. Natura Vitalis has developed the metabolism cure "IQ28" for this purpose. "IQ28" stands for intelligent weight management, which will ensure that people reach their desired weight within 28 days with seven, highly effective products. In addition to protein, sufficient vitamins and minerals play an important role in a well-functioning metabolism, which then in turn leads to 24-hour fat burning. In the natural metabolic state, the stored fats are released and converted in the liver to so-called ketone bodies (ketones), which are used instead of carbohydrates for all cells to produce energy. This makes the pounds melt away.

This means that a person with a fast metabolism burns a lot of the energy that he or she has taken in through food. This therefore accelerates weight loss through exercise, dieting and dietary changes. This helps to get the body going permanently and to achieve all goals.