CGM Helps Teens With Type 1 Diabetes Lower A1C

What This Study Found

A real-world study from Korea looked at 66 children and teenagers with type 1 diabetes over 12 months. Those who used a continuous glucose monitor (CGM) saw their A1C drop from 8.68% to 7.92% — a meaningful improvement. Meanwhile, teens who used traditional fingerstick testing (called self-monitoring of blood glucose, or SMBG) actually saw their A1C rise from 8.46% to 8.93%.

Why Does This Matter?

Managing blood sugar as a teenager is genuinely hard. Busy schedules, social pressure, and the demands of school make it easy to skip fingerstick checks. A CGM works in the background, giving real-time glucose readings without requiring a manual check every few hours.

This study shows that in the real world — not just in a controlled clinical trial — CGM can make a real difference for young people. An A1C below 8% is an important goal for teens with type 1 diabetes because it helps reduce the risk of serious long-term complications like kidney disease, nerve damage, and vision problems.

What the Numbers Showed

• CGM group: A1C dropped by 0.76% on average over 12 months
• Fingerstick group: A1C rose by 0.47% on average over 12 months
• The difference between the two groups was statistically significant, meaning it is unlikely to be due to chance

What the Study Did Not Show

It is important to be honest about the study's limits. Researchers did not find significant improvements in time in range (TIR), average glucose levels, or hypoglycemia (low blood sugar episodes) within the CGM group over time. CGM use also dropped slightly over the year, from about 89% to 79% of the time. This is a smaller study — only 22 teens used CGM — so larger studies are still needed to confirm these findings.

What This Means for Your Family

If your child or teenager has type 1 diabetes and is still using fingerstick testing, it may be worth talking to your diabetes care team about whether CGM is a good fit. CGM does not replace good diabetes management habits, but it gives both teens and parents much more information to work with — and this study suggests it can lead to real improvements in blood sugar control.

At MDS Diabetes, we carry a range of CGM supplies and diabetes management tools designed to support people at every stage of their diabetes journey. Visit mdsdiabetes.com to explore options that may help your teen stay on track.

Key Takeaway: Teens with type 1 diabetes who used CGM lowered their A1C by nearly 1 point over 12 months, while those using traditional fingerstick testing saw their blood sugar control get worse.