Accepted for/Published in: JMIR Diabetes
Date Submitted: Sep 7, 2025
Open Peer Review Period: Sep 7, 2025 - Nov 2, 2025
Date Accepted: Dec 12, 2025
(closed for review but you can still tweet)
A Tailor-Made Mobile Application with Local Cuisine Database for Self-Management in Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus: A Randomized Controlled Trial
ABSTRACT
Background:
Many mobile applications exist for diabetes self-management; however, most target Western populations and lack dietary content relevant to Asian contexts. Our mobile application addresses this gap by providing self-care tools and a database of regionally relevant foods.
Objective:
To evaluate the effectiveness of the application in improving glycemic control and self-care behaviors among outpatients with uncontrolled type 2 diabetes at our hospital.
Methods:
We conducted a randomized controlled trial in adults with type 2 diabetes, hemoglobin A1c (HbA1c) >7%, and access to a smartphone. Participants were randomized to an intervention group (daily app use of the Rama Diabetes Care app) or a control (standard care), with all receiving Diabetes Self-Management Education and Support. The app includes six features, notably a nutritional logging system with a verified database of Thai and commonly consumed foods, including Asian and Western dishes, as well as blood glucose monitoring, exercise and medication tracking, and weight logging. Outcomes were assessed at baseline, 3, and 6 months.
Results:
A total of 129 participants were randomized (intervention: 64; control: 65). Participants in the intervention group were younger (54.6 ± 14.3 vs 61.9 ± 12.0 years, p=0.002), while baseline HbA1c was similar (9.3 ± 1.96%). Over 6 months, the intervention group showed a greater HbA1c reduction than controls, but the difference was not statistically significant (p=0.13). Among participants aged <65 years, fasting plasma glucose at 6 months was significantly lower in the intervention group (mean difference −29.3 mg/dL, p=0.027). App satisfaction was rated as moderate.
Conclusions:
The mobile application achieved glycemic control comparable to standard care, with significant improvement in fasting plasma glucose among participants younger than 65 years. Tailor-made apps integrating regionally relevant dietary content may support effective self-management in type 2 diabetes and warrant further evaluation in larger, long-term studies. Clinical Trial: ClinicalTrials.gov NCT06176703; https://clinicaltrials.gov/study/NCT06176703
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