KUALA LUMPUR, Feb 24 — A new survey by Abbott, the global health care company, found that while nine out of 10 Malaysians living with diabetes regularly check their glucose levels, nearly 40 per cent do not recall their HbA1c levels, which is the average blood glucose level over three months and an essential indicator of long-term diabetes control.
The findings also show that self-testing appears to boost confidence, regardless of HbA1c levels – 77 per cent of regular testers who are unsure about their glucose levels still believe they manage diabetes well.
Although many Malaysians recognise the importance of self-monitoring, most still rely on traditional finger-prick checks, which only provide a single reading at one point in time without any context of how glucose levels may be trending over time, leading to a misplaced sense of control.
In contrast, continuous glucose monitoring (CGM) technology tracks glucose changes throughout the day, offering a complete picture of glucose patterns and enabling more automated, personalised care.
“Glucose levels fluctuate throughout the day and are influenced by many factors unique to each individual. Using a CGM device can provide a comprehensive, real-time view of glucose trends, which is especially valuable for those who experience frequent fluctuating glucose levels,” said Sven Seyffert, divisional vice president of Abbott’s diabetes care business for Asia Pacific.
“For example, Abbott’s Libre sensor delivers continuous glucose readings every minute for up to 15 days, which empowers users and healthcare professionals to make more informed, personalised decisions around food and activity– ultimately leading to better diabetes control and outcomes.”
Diet, physical activity, medication, and monitoring are the cornerstones of diabetes management. Abbott’s survey wanted to understand whether Malaysians had adequate information around the impact of these factors on their health, especially since only about 35 per cent of Malaysians living with diabetes achieved the Ministry of Health’s (MOH) target of HbA1c ≤6.5.
Participants were asked about glucose monitoring, food choices, and physical activity. They were also asked about their outlook on ease of management and sources of information they refer to for living with diabetes. Key findings include:
Food awareness is high among Malaysians living with diabetes, but festive occasions make healthy management challenging.
Most respondents understand the impact of food and diet management (85%) and also regular monitoring (61 per cent) has on their glucose levels. This indicates high awareness of the relationship between food and glucose levels.
The understanding that food has a big impact on glucose levels is universal, irrespective of HbA1c levels.
50 per cent of respondents reduced carbs as their main food management strategy after diagnosis.
Almost 90 per cent of respondents turn to social media for diet management advice.
Festive seasons are perceived to be more challenging to manage glucose levels as compared to non-festive times, with 78 per cent finding diabetes management easier during non-festive times compared to 39 per cent during festive times (those using insulin injections find it particularly difficult).
“Malaysians living with diabetes demonstrate a positive level of awareness about how food impacts diabetes,” said Dr Chan Siew Pheng, emeritus professor of endocrine medicine at University of Malaya.
“Food is perhaps the most vital element in glucose variability, so understanding how it impacts glucose is equally important.
“Pairing this awareness with tools like continuous glucose monitoring can help individuals better understand how their bodies respond to different foods, empowering them to make better informed choices and optimise other areas of their life that impact glucose levels, like daily activity, medications and handling emotions like stress.”
Other findings from the survey include:
Seven in 10 respondents say they take their diabetes medications exactly as prescribed.
Only one in five respondents exercise very regularly (five to seven days a week); those who do tend to have better glucose levels.
Almost 80 per cent of respondents exercise less than 150 minutes per week. This lines up with the National Health and Morbidity Survey 2023 data showing that one in two Malaysian adults live a sedentary lifestyle.
76 per cent of survey respondents rely on their health care providers (doctors, dieticians, nurses) for credible information on diabetes management; dieticians are the most trusted, after doctors.
Almost 80 per cent of respondents say they feel accepted and supported by others; this group of respondents are less likely to attribute blame on their lifestyles.