APP REVIEW: Glucose Buddy

By oneAppOneCause

RATING: 4 Stars

SYNOPSIS
Glucose Buddy is described as a data storage tank for people with diabetes. Users can manually enter blood glucose numbers, carbohydrate intake, insulin dosage and activities. Users are given the option to link their app with glucosebuddy.com online for complete functionality.

Pros

 

  • Home page features an attractive desktop design for quick and easy navigation.
  • Allows for customization based on a number of factors including the user's height, weight, age, gender and type of diabetes and blood glucose monitor and insulin pump devices used
  • Provides a graphical depiction of blood glucose numbers with color-coded highs and lows. Graph options include blood glucose, carbohydrate intake and activity.
  • Has a simple and easy snapshot feature that allows the user to email a photo of their graphed glucose, carb and activity results
  • Upgrade available for blood pressure and weight monitoring
  • Push notifications available for reminders and alerts

Cons

  • Food is only available in gram measures for carbohydrate calculation. To get full calorie/nutrition tracking, users must install and integrate CalorieTrack (a free app).
  • Glucose Buddy offers the “GB Forum” as a way for users to communicate with others using the app. While these communities can be helpful, this forum doesn’t appear to be moderated. As such, it may serve as a source of misinformation, as observed by one user advising another to cure a chocolate craving with bacon because this type of craving means they need to eat more fat.
  • Advertisements on every page can become distracting.

BOTTOM LINE
Glucose Buddy is an easy-to-use, feature-rich app that would be helpful for the average user, whether he or she has Type 1, Type 2, gestational or pre-diabetes.

—Marisa Moore, MBA, RD, LD

Food & Nutrition Magazine
Food & Nutrition Magazine publishes articles on food and diet trends, highlights of nutrition research and resources, updates on public health issues and policy initiatives related to nutrition, and explorations of the cultural and social factors that shape Americans’ diets and health.