Trends Of Blood Sugar Monitoring Devices Increasing, Is It Used Not For Diebetes Patients?

Blood sugar monitoring device (Pexels/Nataliya Vaitkevich)

JAKARTA - Small devices to monitor blood sugar or Continuous Glucose Monitor (CGM) are now increasingly popular among health-aware people. However, the latest study discusses the accuracy and benefits of people who do not suffer from diabetes.

CGM is a small device that is usually affixed to the arm or abdomen, which is commonly used by diabetics to monitor their blood sugar levels in real-time through the mobile phone application.

The data will help them adjust their diet and activity so that blood sugar remains stable. Usually used by diabetics, then is the tool accurate for not diabetics?

The latest study published by Diabetes Technology and Therapeutics analyzes CGM data from 972 people with different conditions. Starting from diabetes, prediabetics, and normal blood sugar levels, which show striking differences in terms of accuracy.

For people with diabetes, CGM data is in accordance with the standard blood test results (HbA1c). However, different results occur in the pradiabetes group and especially people with normal blood sugar.

The results of prediabetes and normal blood sugar groups data from CGM are far less accurate and do not correlate with long-term blood sugar control.

CGM is a powerful tool for diabetics. However, for non-diabetes populations, CGM data is not a substitute for HbA1c tests that measure the average blood sugar within a few months, said one of the researchers, Dr. Jorge Rodriguez, quoted from Gastroenterology Advisor, on Monday, October 13, 2025.

However, that does not mean that the use of CGM is completely useless for healthy people. With CGM, a person can see firsthand how certain types of food or physical activity affect blood sugar.

The fluctuations caught are normal and usually not significant enough to affect standard blood tests. For people with normal health conditions using CGM, consider the resulting data as an overview, not a diagnosis.

It should also be remembered that CGM is not a substitute for routine health checks. Consult with doctors for proper data interpretation. Use CGM as an exploration tool, but not to cause unnecessary anxiety.