Thrive365 Launches New Era of Food Choices for People With Type 2 Diabetes
Nashville, TN (PRWEB) August 23, 2013 -- A patented on-the-go food scoring system called Thrive365 is launching today in Beta on the web and on smartphones nationwide with the goal of helping people with type 2 diabetes take control of their food choices and rediscover the simple joy of eating.
Backed by $10 million in research and development over the past six years, Thrive365 was designed from the ground up to provide people with non-insulin-dependent type 2 diabetes (or pre-diabetes) with immediate access to straightforward food scores that make it simple to plan out food choices for the day or make smart decisions on the fly. As part of the launch, Thrive365 will focus on the state of Tennessee on its way to a nationwide campaign later this year.
The Thrive365 program covers prepared foods, grocery store ingredients, and restaurant menu items for a comprehensive approach to food choices. Each item is assigned a food score, which is easy to find with the smartphone app. If it’s a prepared food, simply scan the bar code with your phone. If you’re preparing a meal from scratch, enter individual ingredients to add up the score—and then save it on your list of recipes for easy access in the future. The Thrive365 app can also pull up the menu of most major restaurants, complete with food scores, so you can make smart choices in advance or at the table.
“Too often, people with diabetes limit their diets to a handful of ‘safe’ foods that inevitably become boring and take the joy out of eating,” said Pier Massa, CEO of Thrive365. “At the same time, they may start to avoid social situations with friends and family where food is involved, and let’s face it, that’s most every gathering in our culture. This unique system helps people with diabetes balance the food they eat throughout the day, without the complexity of calculating carb requirementson a meal-to-meal basis. By putting easy-to-understand food information right in the palm of their hand,Thrive365 can make an immediate difference in comfort, confidence, and lifestyle.”
To celebrate the pilot launch, Thrive365 will take part in the American Diabetes Association of Tennessee’s “Drive to Stop Diabetes” event at Bristol Motor Speedway during race weekend, August 23 and 24, when more than 150,000 race fans will be at the track. Additional launch events are planned for Nashville and Memphis.
To use the Thrive365 app, the first step is to answer a handful of basic health questions. The answers determine your personal target score. This target score is then divided into breakfast, lunch, dinner, and a snack. Since people with diabetes need to avoid under-eating as well as overeating, the system does not rely on “points” that can be saved up and spent later. Instead, participants should get as close to the target score for each meal as possible, without going under or over.
The patented scoring system designed by Thrive365 is based on data collected from diabetes experts about appropriate foods to choose. It takes into account not only carbohydrates but also other key nutrients like saturated fat and sodium in order to build a diet that aligns with nutrition recommendations for people with diabetes.
In addition to food scoring, the Thrive365 app also enables participants to record their food choices on their phone and upload blood glucose readings from their glucometers. This information can then provide health care professionals and their patients with a more complete and accurate record of how specific food choices affected blood glucose on a daily or even hourly basis.
Thrive365 also offers full access to the Diabetes Daily community, including online forums, news, and resources. With over 99,000 registered members, Diabetes Daily is a highly active support network for people with diabetes, their caretakers, and their families to find information and encouragement.
Tennessee was selected as the initial launch audience based on health statistics and smartphone adoption rates. First and foremost, the state ranks in the top ten of the nation for type 2 diabetes and number one for pre-diabetes. In addition, the percentage of the Tennessee population with diabetes has more than doubled from five percent in 1996 to 11.2 percent in 2012. At the same time, smartphone adoption rates in Tennessee are among the best in the South. And over 20 percent of the population already reports using smartphones to look up health information or to communicate with doctors and other health care professionals. Other factors included Nashville’s prominence in the business of health care and hospital
management and the number of accessible media marketplaces in the state.
Although marketing of Thrive365 will be primarily focused on Tennessee over the next three months, the app is currentlyavailable for download on iPhone and iPad devices throughout the United States. Additional features and tools will be added to the program in the coming months. People with non-insulin-dependent type 2 diabetes or pre-diabetes can also sign up for and use the Thrive365 food scoring system via the web at http://www.thrive365.com.
Most features of the Thrive365 app are available at no cost to participants, although certain options—including restaurant menus and location finder—are part of a premium service. The premium service is available for a trial period of six months for $5.99.
Before trying any new eating program, people with diabetes or pre-diabetes should always consult with a qualified healthcare professional. Thrive365 may complement, but cannot replace, professional dietary advice. Beyond making smart food choices, it is equally important to follow a lifestyle that supports diabetes management, like regular exercise, glucose monitoring and tracking, and healthy social connections.
About Thrive365:
Thrive365 is a patented food scoring system designed specifically for people with non-insulin-dependent type 2 diabetes or pre-diabetes to empower them to build a diet that aligns with nutrition recommendations for people with diabetes. Backed by $10 million in research and development over the past six years, the Thrive365 food scoring system is available via
smartphone and/or internet application. Visit http://www.thrive365.com.
Mike Princi, Thrive365, +1 617 306 3848, [email protected]
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