On Nov. 5, 2025, a large study of adults with type 2 diabetes showed that those who consistently use continuous glucose-monitor devices experience significantly greater blood-sugar control than those who use such a device infrequently or not at all. The study, which reviewed electronic medical data, was published Oct. 31 in JAMA Network Open.

In a study of 9,258 patients, researchers found that those who wore a glucose monitor at least 75% of the time had the greatest improvement in hemoglobin A1c levels after one year. Hemoglobin A1c, or HbA1c, is a protein in red blood cells that reflects a person’s average blood-sugar level. On average, these high-frequency users saw their HA1c levels drop 1.52 percentage points, compared with a 0.63 percentage point reduction among patients who did not use the device.  

Participants who used their monitoring device most consistently also showed the fastest initial improvements: They achieved significant HbA1c reductions within three months. While some moderate users plateaued after six months, those who frequently wore their monitors maintained benefits throughout the full year. 

In addition, patients who combined high-frequency device use with a GLP-1 drug experienced even greater improvements. They showed an average treatment difference of 1.13 percentage points, compared with controls, after one year.

This study shows that consistency matters, the authors noted: Patients who wear their monitoring devices regularly can see meaningful, lasting improvements in blood-sugar control, which translates to lower risk for long-term diabetes complications. 

The researchers noted that clinicians should review continuous-monitor use at six months, identify potential barriers, and reinforce the benefit of their monitor to sustain results. Study authors noted that the six-month mark seemed to be when patients’ monitoring dropped off.  

The study used administrative claims from Optum de-identified Market Clarity Data, one of the largest commercially available U.S. databases that includes electronic medical record and claims information. The study included claimants between June 30, 2019, and Jan. 5, 2023. This study was funded by Roche Diagnostics.