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This content originally appeared on diaTribe. Republished with permission.
By Eliza Skoler and Rebecca Gowen
dQ&A surveyed 2,540 CGM users with type 1 or type 2 diabetes to find out how aware they are of their own time in range: 87% of respondents knew how much time they spend in range daily
Time in range is the percentage of time that a person spends in their target blood glucose range (70-180 mg/dl). This measurement of diabetes management along with time below range and time above range helps people assess patterns and trends throughout the day to inform daily treatment decisions in a way that A1C cannot. It is also becoming more well-known and accepted in the world of diabetes as a good indicator of diabetes management.
dQ&A, a market research company, wanted to measure people’s awareness of their own time in range. They surveyed 2,540 people with type 1 or type 2 diabetes who use continuous glucose monitors (CGM). The following question was posed to respondents: “Do you know roughly what percentage of your day (on average) you typically spend with your blood sugar between 70-180 mg/dl?” For those people who answered yes, dQ&A then asked them what percentage of time they typically spend in the target range (70-180 mg/dl) each day. It is important to note that the majority of people included in this survey were White, had type 1 diabetes, and were using an insulin pump.
Important survey results included:
- 87% of all respondents knew roughly how much time they spent in range each day, while 13% did not. These results were generally consistent across several factors including people with type 1 and type 2 diabetes, adults and children, and people with type 2 diabetes who were or were not taking insulin.
- 29% of respondents reported that they typically spend 71-80% of their day in range. 30% of the people surveyed reported a time in range above 80% while 41% of respondents reported a time in range lower than 71%.
- People with type 2 diabetes who are not taking insulin are significantly more likely to report spending 91-100% of their day in range (36%), compared to adults with type 1 diabetes or people with type 2 diabetes on insulin (9% and 11%, respectively).
- Time in range was higher in older age groups. The group with the lowest self-reported time in range was people under the age of 18: only 44% of people 18 years or younger spent more than 70% of the day in range, compared to 56% of people ages 18-44, 62% of people ages 45-65, and 68% of people over the age of 65.
Our takeaways from this data:
- Among people who use CGM, the majority acknowledge time in range as a measurement of their glucose control. However, we believe more people can be educated on how to understand and act on their time in range data.
- The majority of people with type 1 and type 2 diabetes report achieving the time in range target of more than 70% and this was particularly true for those in older age groups.
- An important focus should be placed on helping young people find strategies to improve their time in range and incorporate it into their self-management.
To learn more about time in range click here.
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