Lark Health's Diabetes Prevention Program Demonstrates Positive Outcomes in Older Adults

Year-Long Study Shows AI-augmented Approach Helps Americans over 50 Decrease Risk for Developing Type 2 Diabetes

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Apr 17, 2019, 11:00 ET

MOUNTAIN VIEW, Calif., April 17, 2019 /PRNewswire/ -- Lark Health, the leading chronic disease prevention and management platform using artificial intelligence (AI), today released a year-long study of its digital Diabetes Prevention Program (DPP) finding it produced positive clinical outcomes for adults at least 50 years old. Users in this demographic of Lark's CDC Fully Recognized DPP experienced an average weight loss of 4.3 percent when completing the year-long program.

"Diabetes affects more than 25 percent of those aged 65 and older. For Lark to truly make a dent in America's diabetes crisis, it is crucial that our scalable approach is engaging and sustainable across all age groups," said Julia Hu, co-founder and CEO of Lark Health. "Our latest study shows that the conventional wisdom that older adults can't adopt technology-based solutions is not true – an AI and text messaging-based approach can engage this population successfully."

The study looked at 360 adults aged 50 to 85 using Lark's digital DPP. On average, the participants lost 4.3 percent of their total body weight at approximately one year since joining the program, and nearly 1 in 3 participants dropped at least one full BMI category. The number of class III obese (BMI ≥ 40 kg/m2) participants decreased by 28 percent, while the odds ratios of developing type 2 diabetes for class III obese patients is 11.6 compared to normal weight. The results demonstrate Lark's DPP outcomes are clinically significant in decreasing the risk of incident diabetes.

Older adults are particularly at risk for developing type 2 diabetes. Thirty-four percent of adults have prediabetes, while 48 percent over 65 do. Twenty-nine percent of those with prediabetes will develop diabetes within three years. Additionally, 61 percent of the total medical expenditure attributed to diabetes is spent on the Medicare aged population, with annual per capita diabetes related costs of $13,239, twice as high as those under 65. By utilizing Lark's DPP, members of this population can stop the progression of diabetes by modifying their behavior to mitigate risk factors and in turn lower the cost of managing these conditions.

Lark's technology, and specifically the use of AI, allows the platform to serve millions of members, wherever they are and whenever they need it, with non-linear increases in cost. Lark's DPP is the fastest-growing and now the second largest in the U.S., and in February 2019, Lark announced that it received Full Recognition from the CDC. Full Recognition is the highest level of clinical recognition for the DPP, and Lark is the only DPP that uses cutting edge AI to be awarded this recognition.

About Lark

Lark Health is the leading chronic disease prevention and management platform using proven, AI health coaching to deliver better health outcomes at scale. Lark uses cutting edge AI and connected health monitors, which can be combined with clinical resources, to provide real-time, personalized, 24/7 support and counseling to help users make healthier choices and manage their conditions. Lark's Diabetes Prevention Program (DPP), Wellness Program, Diabetes Care Program, and Hypertension Program serve nearly 2 million users, and have demonstrated clinically validated outcomes published in 11 peer-reviewed journals and analyst reports. Lark's DPP, which is the fastest growing and lowest cost DPP, has received CDC Full Recognition. Lark works with some of the largest payers and self-insured employers to help their members live healthier lives. Founded by CEO Julia Hu in 2011, the company was named "Most Innovative Digital Health Product of the Year" by Forrester Research, "Top 10 Most Innovative Companies in the World" alongside Uber and Airbnb, and Apple's "Top 10 Apps of the Year". To learn more, visit www.lark.com.

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SOURCE Lark Health