Social media and mobile apps can be effective tools for delivering public health information and supporting diabetes prevention programs. Apps like MyFitnessPal and Fitbit allow users to track calories, nutrition, physical activity, and weight loss progress, helping them change unhealthy habits. While older adults may benefit more from traditional methods like pamphlets or Facebook groups, younger adults are comfortable using apps and social media on their smartphones. A balanced approach using both technology and healthcare providers is best for diabetes prevention and management programs.

1. Response one pbh-07
Social media is a great tool for reaching the target audience for
public health programs. In today’s society, social media is used
very often and is used for personal uses or public uses. For
targeting an audience for a diabetes prevention program, social
media is a great tool. The CDC, 2016, says that Mobile Apps
are an excellent way to deliver public health information. When
delivering information about type 2 diabetes, mobile apps are
great tools to use. The diabetes prevention program focuses on
weight loss for each participant. The goal for each participant is
weight loss and preventing pre-diabetes. With the help of
mobile apps, this goal would be easier to reach. For example,
the program could implement the app “My Fitness Pal”. The app
allows you to track the number of calories eaten per day. You
can personalize the app to specific goals. If the goal is to lose
20 pounds, the app will calculate how many calories should be
consumed on a daily basis and how long it would actually take
for the weight to come off. The app also shows the nutrition
facts of all the food that is being tracked. The app has been
successfully used by many people. Seeing how much and what
calories are being consumed, allows people to change their bad
eating habits. I personally used the Fitness app and saw great
results. I lost 35 pounds by tracking my meals and snacks. The
app also calculates the amount of exercise a person has
participated in for that day. Another app that could be used by
the program is “Fitbit”. A Fitbit is a fitness band that tracks
steps taken per day, heartrate, calories burned, flights of stairs
taken etc.
Depending on the participants, social media may not be
the best format to take. The majority of people affected by type
2 diabetes are older adults, therefore social media may not be
the best tool to use. However, more and more adults are using
social media and have smart phones and gadgets. I would offer
my participants the chance to use social media for the program.

2. If tracking becomes too difficult for participants or they do not
own a smart phone, I would give them the option of using a
journal. Journals can also help weight loss and becoming more
physically active. Also, Facebook has been a major part of
social media and today’s society. Older adults are using
Facebook to make connections with people and to get news.
Facebook can be a useful tool in a diabetes prevention program.
Participants of the program can use Facebook for support and
questions. A private group page for the participants could be
useful for the program. I believe that social media is a great
way to get people motivated for weight loss and changing their
lifestyle.
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. 2016. CDC Mobile
Activities. Retrieved from: https://www.cdc.gov/mobile/
Response two-pbh-07
I thin k that social media is an essential part of the public health
conversation. Social platforms enable us to reach more people
who can benefit from science-based information about
preventing and managing diabetes. A variety of social media
tools like Facebook, Instagram, twitter, among others, are used
to reinforce and personalize messages, reach new audiences, and
build a communication infrastructure based on open information
exchange. However, social media it is not for everyone.
For my older diabetes participants, I would continue to offer
infographics. Infographics (Information Graphics) are visual
representations of data, information or knowledge that tell a
story through visual communication. Sometimes people do
better or understand better when the information is presented
vividly (flyers, magazines, pamphlets) they would follow
recommendations better and over all, they will manage their
disease better. For those younger adults, the use of social media
apps like the ones mentioned above seems to be the better
option.
Younger adults are more curious and sometimes so eager to

3. learn, that navigating around the apps is an easy task. Smarts
phones are also a great way to facilitate health communication
and management. Smarts phones have different apps that can
health manage individual’s disease, and promote healthy
behaviors. For example, an iPhone, has a health app where
individuals can track their health progress, their sleep activity,
calories intake, physical activity, steps taken per day, and many
more.
In general, social media, is one of the greatest inventions out
there with many benefits to the public, but I recommend
continuing to have primary care physicians and specialist as a
top priority. I say this because it is easy to get lost in the
technological world and forget that technology it is a tool to
add to what we already have (like our doctors, nurses, etc), so it
is important to remember that a balanced combination of all the
components is healthy.