The rise of glucose sensors among non-diabetics: Self-care or a status symbol?

A couple of months ago, The Wall Street Journal asked what a Hollywood star, an Olympic medalist and a Harvard longevity researcher had in common. The answer was their “obsession” with controlling glucose and the sensors that monitor blood-sugar levels. The sensors are small devices that are usually placed on the back of the arm to constantly measure the concentration of glucose in the interstitial fluid.

Until recently these sensors were used only by people with diabetes, especially by those with Type I, whose pancreas stops functioning normally for reasons that science has not yet been able to explain. However, it has become increasingly common for those who do not suffer from the condition to use these monitors too.

Thus, one more concern can be added to the endless list of existing neuroses, which has caused some to wonder if glucose is the new gluten. There is also talk of sensors as the ultimate status symbol: they cost between $100 and $300 per month, and are not covered by health insurance. The rising use of glucose sensors has upset people who have to wear such monitors as a means of dealing with a dysfunctional pancreas.

As part of this new obsession with glucose, gurus like Jessie Inchauspé — better known as the Glucose Goddess — have emerged on social media, offering tips to control and minimize glucose spikes. The purpose of her method is not to lose weight, but to learn to eat in a specific order that benefits glucose control. Inchauspé, who is not diabetic, has created a real business around controlling blood-sugar control. She has two best-selling books, an online course that costs around $2,500, a video podcast, and an Instagram account with more than three million followers (with Karlie Kloss, Orlando Bloom, and, of course, Gwyneth Paltrow among them).

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