Lack of exercise, wrong dietary habits, obesity and even stress are combining to make diabetes younger by the day.

Add to this genetic predisposition and we are talking of a diabetic population of over 30 million across the country.

Two ?intelligent? devices, launched recently and made available in Calcutta last week, hold out new hope for insulin-dependent diabetics, both Type I and Type II, promising better control of blood sugar levels through accurate dispensation and monitoring.

The ?Paradigm 712? insulin pump introduced by Medtronic provides ?precise insulin dosing recommendations?, and is designed to help patients improve their glycaemic control. Novo Nordisk India announced the launch of ?Levemir?, a ?novel, predictable basal insulin analogue? with a unique mechanism of prolonging action.

The Paradigm 712 insulin pump contains a built-in Bolus Wizard calculator that recommends how much insulin a patient should deliver in order to maintain tight blood sugar control. This calculator eliminates the need for diabetics to perform daily insulin calculations, which can be complex and result in dosing inaccuracies.

?It?s a definite advancement, since this pump more closely mimics the insulin delivery of a healthy pancreas. However, patients must be trained properly and methodically for them to derive optimum benefit from the pump,? says Sanjay Chatterjee, consultant diabetologist, Apollo Gleneagles Hospitals.

The pump is a pager-sized, battery-operated device that can be worn on a patient?s belt or hidden beneath a layer of clothing. It delivers fast-acting insulin from a reservoir inside the pump to the body through a tiny plastic tube.

Levemir on the other hand, provides ?predictable and consistent control? of blood glucose levels. As a result, blood glucose levels are maintained within a very narrow range, especially during the night, providing the opportunity for diabetics to achieve ?consistent dosing?, which facilitates optimal glycaemic control.

?Availability of Levemir makes Novo Nordisk the first company in India to have short and long-acting insulin analogue for adults and children, showing our commitment to treating and defeating diabetes in India,? says Melvin Oscar D?Souza, managing director, Novo Nordisk India.

?The devices are, no doubt, very intelligent, but without patient motivation and discipline, precious little can be achieved. Counselling and critical inputs coupled with empathy are absolutely vital in getting the desired results and tight control,' Chatterjee stresses.

?Both gadgets are definite advancements in insulin therapy and should lead to tighter control. One of the major problems in insulin therapy is grade variability, which the pump can?t circumvent, but can minimise. Cost is still a primary factor, though,? observes Subhankar Chowdhury, head, department of endocrinology, SSKM Hospital.