The use of blood sugar monitors in people without diabetes is not supported by research and may cause anxiety, experts have warned. The monitors are being widely advertised as a way of personalising diets and are being marketed by several firms, including as part of Professor Tim Spector’s Zoe programme. Zoe says on its website that blood sugar spikes can, over time, lead to an increased risk of heart disease.
Its programme assesses a person’s blood sugar responses to food and also looks at blood fat levels and gut bacteria. “From this information, we can provide personalised nutrition advice to help you minimise blood sugar spikes and move toward your long-term health goals,” it says. However, several experts have questioned the research evidence behind Zoe, together with other programmes using continuous glucose monitors for people without diabetes.
The monitors are often used by people with diabetes who are reliant on insulin pumps to ensure their blood sugar remains stable. In the new review, researchers at University College London and Birmingham Children’s Hospital concluded there is a lack of evidence to support the use of CGMs in people without diabetes. They said the devices may also cause people anxiety and lead to them restricting certain foods, such as with orthorexia, a ‘pure food’ obsession, and argued that “spikes” in blood sugar after eating are perfectly normal.
Senior author on the study and dietitian Dr Adrian Brown, from UCL’s division .
