Benefits of continuous glucose monitors for weight loss?

Weight loss is a common goal for those looking to improve their health and wellbeing. As technology improves, there has also been a shift towards personalized data and therapeutic approaches. One such device, a continuous glucose monitor (CGM), originally formulated for diabetes in the late 1990s, is now being considered for weight management and the possibility of improving metabolic health.

Understanding Continuous Glucose Monitors (CGM)

A continuous glucose monitor is a wearable device that tracks glucose levels continuously during the day in real time. These devices have traditionally been worn by diabetics for blood sugar management but they are now being used in individuals without diabetes.

Seeing your blood sugar levels in real time can help you make informed decisions about what you eat and drink and how much and how often you move.

Advantages of CGM for Weight Loss

1.Personalized Feedback

There is variability in how people’s blood sugar spikes following meals. This can make it difficult to give nutritional advice that will work for everyone. Continuous glucose monitoring allows you to make more informed decisions by illustrating how certain foods/beverages impact your blood sugar levels.

2. Motivation and Accountability

Seeing real time data can be very motivating. Some studies have demonstrated that the use of CGMs can lead to behavioral changes such as altering eating habits or increasing movement after meals.

3. Management of Hunger and Cravings

Continuous glucose monitoring allows people to better relate their blood sugar and their hunger and fullness cues. They may notice that low blood sugar following a blood sugar spike leads to cravings. Noticing these correlations may make them more likely to opt for meals that have less of an impact on blood sugar.

Research

Most of the studies utilizing continuous glucose monitoring have been evaluating blood sugar in a population of people with type 2 diabetes.

There have been several studies published on the use of continuous glucose monitors for behavioral change in the past few years. These studies demonstrate that continuous glucose monitoring can be an effective tool for behavioral change (leading to changes in eating habits, binge eating, movement). If you are interested, please explore the studies below. More larger scale, longer duration studies are needed to demonstrate that the use of continuous glucose monitors can lead to weight loss.

https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/36515992/

Conclusion

More evidence is needed to demonstrate that the use of continuous glucose monitors can lead to weight loss. The absence of evidence is not the evidence of absence. Preliminary studies demonstrated that CGMs can lead to behavioral changes which could potentially lead to weight loss and improved health.

If you are interested in learning more about metabolic health and weight loss, please consult us at Dignity Weight Center! We would be honored to meet you, and we take most insurances!

If you are interested in learning more about metabolic health and weight loss, please consult us at Dignity Weight Center. We would be honored to meet you, and we accept most insurances.