People are hungry for information about their bodies. Nearly one-third of Americans use smartwatches and other wearable technology to measure steps, calories burned, heart rate, and more, according to a study published in the medical journal JAMA Network Open. That’s what it means.
However, such a simple measure does not tell us much. And most wearables today just sit on your skin. That limits what can be measured and the depth of value.
For personal health technology to realize its promise, it will require better data from within the body and the insights to act on it. Next-generation biowearables can provide that information and insight.
The potential benefits for both individuals and society are enormous.
Consider how much the average person knows about their glucose levels, or simply put, their blood sugar levels. This index is a key indicator of metabolic health, or how well your body converts food and drink into energy.
According to research from the University of North Carolina, only 12% of Americans are metabolically healthy. Decreased metabolism is associated with a wide range of chronic diseases. It can also weaken your body’s immune system, impairing its ability to fight common viruses and diseases. If more people knew they had poor metabolic health, they might consider the risks and take steps to do something about it. Regular monitoring of blood sugar levels can act as an early warning system and force people to change their diet and lifestyle or seek medical attention if necessary.
The potential benefits of early intervention enabled by regular glucose monitoring cannot be underestimated. Studies have shown that lower blood sugar levels in the general population are correlated with lower long-term risks of cardiovascular disease, diabetes, Alzheimer’s disease, and certain cancers.
According to the American Diabetes Association, diabetes costs the United States more than $412 billion annually in direct and indirect medical costs. The Milken Institute estimated that the total cost of chronic diseases caused by obesity and overweight was $1.7 trillion in 2016. Improved management and prevention of these diseases, even in small numbers, could improve millions of lives and save billions of dollars.
To measure glucose, you need to get under the skin. That can’t be achieved with the current generation of wearables, but it won’t be possible with the next generation of biowearables.
The biowearable device we developed at Abbott (Lingo) is a small biosensor that contains a small filament inserted just under the skin on the back of the upper arm. Continuously sends blood sugar level updates to the wearer via the app.
Other devices in development that promise to unlock insights into our bodies include microneedle patches that monitor dopamine in the body, smart contact lenses that measure intraocular pressure, and metabolites and other molecules in sweat. There are patches that can be detected. Of course, as with any wearable device, raw data is only the first step to improving your health. Consumers need guidance on how to interpret that data and use it to make decisions. Such coaching can be automated, customized, and delivered via phone. For example, an app paired with a biowearable device that monitors blood sugar levels could recommend when and what to eat, or how much to exercise, based on continuous data generated by the device.
Eventually, biowearables combined with apps with artificial intelligence capabilities will learn how users live and, for example, detect repeated spikes in blood sugar levels or stress hormones at certain times of the day. We will be able to provide predictive advice to deal with e.g. rising levels of
By enabling people to take control of their health and engage in preventative self-care, biowearables are helping to end the “sick care” paradigm that has reigned in the United States for decades and improve health. It helps replace it with real health care that focuses on sustaining. .
Robert Ford is Abbott’s Chairman and CEO.
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