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Biggest Loser Reality Show 'Weighs In' on Diabetes Using Dexcom's Continuous Glucose Monitor

March 15, 2010

Available by Prescription, The DexCom™ CGM Aims to Help 'The Sickest Group of Contestants the Show has Seen' Manage their Diabetes

The newest numbers on the reality TV show "Biggest Loser" won't be the pounds dropped. Starting this season, contestants will wear a DexCom Continuous Glucose Monitor (CGM), which will provide a 24/7 measure of their glucose (sugar) values and its response to food and exercise. In people with obesity-related diabetes, a drop in blood sugar can cause shaking, sweating and dizziness — a condition known as hypoglycemia. Blood sugar levels can also rise above normal, known as hyperglycemia, causing extreme thirst, blurred vision, drowsiness and, if left untreated, can lead to serious complications such as blindness, kidney failure and amputations.

An important advancement in diabetes management, the DexCom CGM system will wirelessly feed data to the show's medical expert, Dr. Robert Huizenga, who is using the DexCom CGM to monitor the contestants' diabetes control during the show's weight loss season.

What You May — or May Not — Know About Diabetes

Diabetes is a serious disease. Over time, if diabetes is not managed correctly, it can affect your eyes, kidneys, nerves, and heart. According to the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services1 every single day in the United States:

  • 4,100 new people will be diagnosed with diabetes
  • 55 people will go blind
  • 230 amputations will be performed
  • 120 people will enter treatment for kidney failure

The American Diabetes Association (ADA) also confirms that diabetes is the leading cause of blindness among those ages 20-74, and is the leading cause of kidney failure. About 60 to 70 percent of people with diabetes have mild to severe nervous system damage, according to the ADA, and adults with diabetes have heart disease death rates that are two to four times higher than those who do not have diabetes2.

There are two main types of diabetes. Most people with diabetes — 90 to 95 percent — have Type 2, also known as adult-onset diabetes. This occurs when a person's cells become increasingly resistant to the effects of insulin. If left untreated, the pancreas can "burn-out" and become incapable of producing insulin.

Because being overweight increases the risk for developing Type 2 diabetes, the obese contestants on the "Biggest Loser" are at increased risk. The DexCom CGM may help them manage their glucose levels and may help them to take control of their diabetes.

Type 1 diabetes was previously known as juvenile diabetes. Only 5-10 percent of the people with diabetes have Type 1. It occurs primarily in children and young adults when their pancreas stops making insulin. Humans need insulin to convert sugar and other carbohydrates into energy. Therefore, people with Type 1 diabetes need injections or infusions of insulin in order to manage their disease. With appropriate medical management and effective insulin therapy, people with Type 1 diabetes can live long, healthy lives.

Insulin is necessary for the body to be able to use glucose for energy. When you eat food, the body breaks down the sugars and starches into glucose, which is the basic fuel for the cells in the body. Insulin takes the glucose from the blood into the cells. If glucose builds up in the blood instead of going into cells, it can lead to diabetes complications

The ADA estimates that 23.6 million children and adults in the U.S. have diabetes. Of those, 5.7 million people remain undiagnosed, and an additional 57 million people are at increased risk for developing diabetes. A poor diet, lack of exercise and an epidemic of obesity in the U.S. are the contributing factors.

Why Continuous Glucose Monitoring Matters

Clinical studies3-10 prove that continuous glucose monitoring is a breakthrough in diabetes management. Previously, the only way to measure glucose levels was with finger sticks, a method limited by the fact that it could only provide data for the specific moment in which it was done. Continuous glucose monitoring gives a more complete picture, measuring glucose levels continually, providing glucose data up to 288 times in a 24-hour period. It is also designed to alert patients if their glucose values are going too high or too low, both of which are potentially life-threatening events.

"People with diabetes have constantly changing glucose levels. The DexCom CGM gives them the information they need to take action and stay in control of their diabetes," said Terrance Gregg, DexCom CEO. "Best of all, the customizable features of the DexCom CGM allow them to set the device for their individual needs, goals and lifestyle."

The DexCom CGM Helps Put Patients in Control of Their Diabetes

The DexCom SEVEN® PLUS, indicated by prescription for adults with diabetes, was designed to maximize convenience, performance and simplicity. The DexCom CGM consists of just three parts: a sensor, transmitter and receiver. The tiny sensor — about the width of two human hairs — is applied to the abdomen by the user. The DexCom CGM is the only sensor approved by the FDA for up to seven days of wear. A small transmitter is then attached to the sensor. This small, smooth transmitter sends data wirelessly to the receiver, a sleek pod that is about the size of a cell phone, which can easily be carried in a purse or pocket.

The smallest and lightest continuous glucose sensor/transmitter available, the DexCom CGM is wireless and the transmitter is water resistant. The DexCom CGM has shown excellent performance in accuracy in low sugar ranges where immediate treatment or intervention is most likely to be required11. Special alarms on the receiver alert users when they are outside their target zone, so they can take action to avoid the potential health risks of both low and high blood sugar levels. In patients with Type 2 diabetes, such as those on "Biggest Loser," the DexCom CGM may provide data to help them understand their body's response to food and exercise and may serve as a motivational behavior modification tool.

References:
  1. Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services, Office of the Actuary, National Health Statistics Group, 2006 National Health Care Expenditures Data, January 2008.
  2. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. National diabetes fact sheet: general information and national estimates on diabetes in the United States, 2007.
  3. Standards of medical care in diabetes — 2009. American Diabetes Association. Diabetes Care. 2009;32 Suppl 1:S13-61.
  4. Garg S, et al. Improvement in glycemic excursions with a transcutaneous, real-time continuous glucose sensor: a randomized controlled trial. Diabetes Care. 2006;29(1):44-50.
  5. Garg SK, et al. Continuous home monitoring of glucose: improved glycemic control with real-life use of continuous glucose sensors in adult subjects with type 1 diabetes. Diabetes Care. 2007;30(12):3023-3025.
  6. Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation Continuous Glucose Monitoring Study Group (2008) Continuous glucose monitoring and intensive treatment of type 1 diabetes. N Engl J Med. 2008;359(14):1464-1476.
  7. Waldron-Lynch F, et al. Continuous glucose monitoring: long live the revolution! Nat Clin Pract Endocrinol Metab. 2009;5(2):82-83.
  8. Hirsch IB. Glycemic variability: it's not just about A1C anymore! Diabetes Technol Ther. 2005;7(5):780-783.
  9. Brauker JH, et al. The function of continuous glucose sensors: How and why seeing glucose as a function of time enables proactive management decisions to avoid highs and lows. Rev Endo. May 2007.
  10. Deiss D, et al. Improved glycemic control in poorly controlled patients with type 1 diabetes using real-time continuous glucose monitoring. Diabetes Care. 2006;29(12):2730-2732.
  11. Garg S, Smith J, Beatson C, Lopez-Baca B, Voelmle M, Gottlieb P. Comparison of Accuracy and Safety of the SEVEN and the Navigator Continuous Glucose Monitoring Systems. Diabetes Technol Ther. 2009;11(2):65-72.