Dr. Katharina Mahadeva Cadwell, the founder of Vivo Ltd., approached FHNW to base a potential prediabetes management application on state-of-the-art knowledge about lifestyle intervention and a competitive landscape analysis.

The aim of this paper is to find clinically proven and statistically relevant knowledge about lifestyle intervention in the form of 1. physical activity and 2. nutrition, as well as 3. compile a comprehensive analysis of the current competitive prediabetes and diabetes management landscape in the DACH region, to evaluate if there is potential for a mobile application by Vivo Ltd.

The key findings were that aerobic and resistance training, as well as a combination of the two exercise types yields the most beneficial impact on relevant factors such as blood glucose and insulin levels. Furthermore, the Mediterranean diet yielded the most statistically significant results by positively affecting glycemic control and cardiovascular health, while other diets require more research. Additionally, technology can be used as a means of patient support during lifestyle intervention. Finally, the competitive landscape analysis found that there is potential for a prediabetes management application in the DACH region, due to the strong focus on diagnosed diabetes patients and the lack of evidence-based patient education.