DiaDigits explained

Are you wondering how we got your numbers? Here’s how we calculated your DiaDigits.  

Days living with type 1 diabetes

When you entered the date of diagnosis, we calculated the number of days it’s been since.  

Measuring your blood glucose levels (Finger pricks)

If you picked finger prick test, we calculated that you would do approximately eight* a day after 1980 and 0 before. 

If you picked continuous glucose monitor (CGM), we calculated that you would do approximately eight finger prick tests a day until the date you started on your CGM and approximately one** test a day since. 

If you picked the flash glucose monitor, we calculated that you would do approximately eight finger prick tests a day until the date you started on your flash and approximately one** test a day since then. 

*It is recommended to do finger prick tests before eating three meals, two hours after each meal, before a snack/drink and at night.

**It is sometimes recommended to do calibration finger prick tests while using a CGM or flash glucose monitor. We recognize that you may be doing fewer or more frequent testing depending on your needs.

Acciaroli G, Vettoretti M, Facchinetti A, Sparacino G. Calibration of Minimally Invasive Continuous Glucose Monitoring Sensors: State-of-The-Art and Current Perspectives. Biosensors (Basel). 2018 Mar 13;8(1):24. doi: 10.3390/bios8010024. PMID: 29534053; PMCID: PMC5872072. 

Injecting insulin (Insulin injections)

We calculated that you would have done approximately one* injection a day before 1980, two** injections a day between 1980 and 1990, and seven*** injections a day from 1990 until today. 

*Before 1980, it was recommended to have one injection a day.

**During the 1980s, it was recommended to carry out the basal/bolus regime – one injection in the morning and one during the night.

***It is now recommended to test and inject insulin (if needed) before three meals a day, one snack/drink, one at night, plus two corrections. We recognize that you may be testing and injecting insulin less or more frequently depending on your needs.

Hours of lost sleep

We calculated that you would lose approximately four hours of sleep a week.

Perfect MM. Sleep-related disorders in patients with type 1 diabetes mellitus: current insights. Nat Sci Sleep. 2020 Feb 11;12:101-123. doi: 10.2147/NSS.S152555. PMID: 32104119; PMCID: PMC7023878. 

Time spent recovering from a hypoglycemic episode:  (Hours spent recovering from a hypo)

We calculated that you would spend approximately 2 hours a week* recovering from a hypo. 

Most individuals with T1D will have 1-2 mild hypoglycemia episodes a week. An hour of recovery time is given for each, to allow 15 minutes for glucose levels to return to normal. If you drive, it is recommended that you shouldn’t drive for a further 40 minutes.  

DISCLAIMER: The content of the DiaDigits tool and associated design elements are intended for informational and awareness purposes and are not to be viewed as health appraisals or recommendations from Breakthrough T1D. Breakthrough T1D will not share information collected via the DiaDigits calculator with any third party. Please see Breakthrough T1D’s Privacy Policy for details. 

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