Levels and patterns of physical activity in children and adolescents with type 1 diabetes and associated metabolic and physiologic health outcomes

Abstract

Background: The current study objectively assessed physical activity (PA) levels and patterns in children and adolescents with type 1 diabetes and compared the metabolic and physiologic health profiles of those achieving and those not achieving the current recommendation of 60 minutes a day (minutes x D(-1)) of at least moderate intensity PA.

Method: 37 children and adolescents (20 boys, 17 girls) aged 12.7 +/- 2.1 years (mean +/- SD), disease duration 5.9 +/- 3.0 years participated. PA was assessed using heart rate monitoring. Peak VO(2), BMI, sum of 5 skinfolds, HbA(1c), and daily insulin dosage were also determined.

Results: Mean accumulated time in moderate-to-vigorous intensity PA was 53.6 +/- 31.4 minutes x D(-1). Levels of vigorous-intensity PA were low, mean 8.3 +/- 10.2 minutes x D(-1). When controlling for age, no differences in metabolic or physiologic health outcomes were evident between those individuals achieving, and those not achieving, 60 minutes x D(-1) of moderate-to-vigorous intensity PA. PA predominantly occurred in short bouts lasting 5 minutes or less.

Conclusion: The efficacy of accumulating 60 minutes x D(-1) of moderate-to-vigorous intensity PA, in the form of short duration, intermittent bouts of largely unplanned PA, to promote health gains in children and adolescents with type 1 diabetes is questionable.