“Feeling bored? go for a walk”, “avoid snacks while watching TV, you may over-eat”, “neither fast nor feast”.
These are the kind of SMSes a group of diabetologists based in Chennai and London are sending their patients.
They have also developed a unique patient tracking software to follow the blood sugar and physical activities of their patients.
Imperial College in London, in association with India Diabetes Research Foundation, has launched the interactive SMS approach to follow up on about 2,000 people.
And they say that the pilot study has started yielding positive results in India and the UK among pre-diabetic patients.
“This will certainly reduce the incidence of diabetes and the public is responding positively towards the initiative,” said Prof Desmond G. Johnston of Imperial College, London.
Prof, Johnston, who is also the director of UK Diabetes Research Network, said that the current approach of medical system in South India had failed to control the prevalence of diabetes.
With almost every Indian having a cell phone, the new initiative would have a great role in delaying the incidence of diabetes, he added.
“Diabetes among Indians is alarming when compared to foreign nationals. Even non-obese people suffer from diabetes and Chennai is a classic example for such cases,” said Prof A. Ramchandran, president of India Diabetes Research Foundation.
The objective of the SMS study is to prevent diabetes using mobile technology. The cost effective study has already commenced and so far 200 people have been identified in and around Chennai, another 800 people from South India will be roped in shortly.