GLYCOLEAP - New App for the Elderly?

DIETITIAN AT HIS FINGERTIPS - THANKS TO PHONE APP

Mr Albert Koh, who is diabetic, lost nearly 10kg with the help of the GlycoLeap app, which has been giving him advice on his meal choices. The app helps diabetics improve their diets by assessing their daily meals. ST PHOTO: DESMOND WEE

Hospital dispatcher Albert Koh has been living with diabetes for over two decades but the way he manages his condition underwent a radical change 18 months ago - all due to a phone app.

"It helps me because there's a dietitian on hand and I can learn to discipline myself from (indulging in) cravings," said Mr Koh, who did not watch his diet before using the app.

Now before tucking into a meal, Mr Koh, 63, takes a photo of his food and uploads it to the GlycoLeap app, where a dietitian will rate it.

The assessment includes the meal's nutritional content - the amount of carbohydrates, fat, protein, fiber, salt and other micro nutrients - the cooking method such as whether it is highly processed, and portion sizes so the balance of nutrients can be checked.

"It helps me because there's a dietitian on hand and I can learn to discipline myself from (indulging in) cravings," said Mr Koh, who did not watch his diet before using the app. App Specifics

The app, which was developed by local healthcare analytics firm Holmusk, also lets diabetic users log their blood glucose levels and keep track of their activity and exercise data by syncing fitness trackers or smartphone pedometers.

Mr Koh has reaped the rewards of eating more healthily and exercising regularly.

His HbA1c - a measure of average blood sugar level - dropped from 8.7 to 6 just six months after he started using the app. This means he has a lower risk of developing complications related to diabetes. He has also shed nearly 10kg and is now a more healthy 68kg.

It helps that the app is something he can use every day to get advice from healthcare professionals, unlike his quarterly visits to the polyclinic, said Mr Koh, who is married with three daughters.

Providing diabetics with easy access to advice from healthcare professionals and not just self-tracking or automated guidance, is the aim of GlycoLeap, said Dr Yau Teng Yan, Holmusk's chief medical officer.

GLYCOLEAP What: A phone app that links users to a personal dietitian What it does: Users snap photos of their meals, log their blood glucose levels as well as activity and exercise data to get personalized feedback on their choices. Cost: $20 per month

"In healthcare, the human touch is very important - people don't want to interact with a robot or computer about their health, as it can be very private and personal in nature," he added.

"Every user on GlycoLeap is paired with a human coach, who reviews the user's progress and provides him with support, advice and motivation to spur him on."

The app has attracted 1,500 users in Singapore since it was launched in September 2016 on the App Store and on Google Play. A monthly subscription costs $20.

Holmusk plans to introduce a social feature which will let users interact by sharing experiences and supporting one another by the first half of this year, said Dr Yau.

However, the app is not a sure-fire remedy, noted Mr Koh.

"The app is more of a guide. It's up to the individual, whether you want to follow it or not."