Jessica DeGore, a registered dietitian who specializes in nutrition coaching for people with diabetes (and who is unaffiliated with Klinio) says that when someone is newly diagnosed with diabetes or prediabetes, it can be overwhelming—especially when it comes to what to eat. “They often have questions about medications, meals and lifestyle changes,” she says.
While this can make an app like Klinio helpful, DeGore says there are free resources available that she believes can be just as helpful. “There are many free diabetes-friendly recipes online, and the American Diabetes Association has a free guide,” she says. If someone with diabetes needs more help figuring out what to eat, DeGore recommends working one-on-one with a registered dietitian who specializes in diabetes, as they can create custom meal plans. When you work with a registered dietitian, you can be sure the meals are coming from a qualified expert and are suggested with that specific person in mind, she continues. However, not all health insurance plans cover the cost of meeting with a dietitian, so this may be an inaccessible option for some.
Overall, DeGore agrees that Klinio’s progress tracker can be beneficial for diabetes management and a helpful tool for one to share with their health care provider during appointments. Still, some health insurance companies cover blood sugar tracking devices, which can give much of the same information.
Part of why some may be interested in Klinio is for its weight loss management tools, and DeGore says that many people with type 2 diabetes do struggle with weight gain. “Insulin resistance can make it difficult to lose weight,” she says, adding that it’s not uncommon for someone with type 2 diabetes to feel an unjustified shame around their weight. “The stigma surrounding weight and diabetes is a very serious issue,” she continues. Because of this stigma and shame, she finds it more beneficial to focus on building healthy habits than zeroing in on weight loss as a goal.
On a similar note, DeGore found that when she took Klinio’s quiz herself, the recommended calorie intake was much lower than what she would recommend as a dietitian. “I have a normal BMI, no medical conditions and indicated that I wanted to lose 10 pounds—just to see what information I would get. Even though I said I lived a very active lifestyle, the app recommended a daily calorie consumption of 1,200 to 1,400 a day, which is too low,” she says. To her, this indicates that the guidance recommended through the app is not as beneficial as working one-on-one with a dietitian.