HUAWEI showcased its latest wearable-based blood sugar management wellness trend insights at the World Health Expo Dubai 2026, highlighting innovations that reflect the growing focus on preventative healthcare across the region, including Egypt where awareness around lifestyle-related health challenges continues to rise. The feature uses non-invasive Photoplethysmography (PPG) technology using the advanced sensors on HUAWEI smartwatches to monitor the user’s PPG and provide proactive wellness alerts based on the collected data.
HUAWEI noted that this function is designed to raise awareness about potential diabetes risks and encourage users to seek early medical intervention.
According to the 2024 report by the International Diabetes Federation (IDF), 589 million adults aged 20 to 79 have diabetes worldwide. Globally, 43% of all people living with diabetes are undiagnosed, and 81% live in low- and middle-income countries. including several markets across the Middle East and North Africa such as Egypt. In the MENA region, 85 million adults are living with diabetes, a number expected to increase by 92% to 163 million by 2050. And in the UAE, there is a 20.7% prevalence of diabetes among the adult population.
Recent breakthroughs in research have found a shared genetic aetiology between resting heart rate and diabetes. Similarly, diabetes-related microvascular arteriosclerosis and neuropathy have been found to affect PPG signals. Given the multitude of mechanisms by which diabetes impacts PPG, HUAWEI developed a feature to Identify blood sugar fluctuations based on the PPG measurements using smartwatches. Users must consistently wear the watch on their wrist for 3 to 14 days. supporting a seamless and practical wellness monitoring experience that fits easily into daily routines followed by many users in Egypt. Upon completion, the Diabetes Risk app categorizes wellness patterns into Low, Medium, or High.
HUAWEI recommends that users categorized as Medium and High patterns seek professional medical help for further diagnosis. This empowers individuals to prioritize preventative care. It aims to help users recognize potential wellness trends early and seek expert advice in a timely manner. This feature shall not be confused with detecting precise blood glucose levels or diagnosis.
HUAWEI has already made the feature available on the HUAWEI WATCH GT 6 Pro through an OTA update. Wider compatibility across more smartwatch models is on the horizon. While the feature is safe for all users in Egypt and has no side effects or contraindications, it is not a replacement for professional diabetes diagnostics.
