No abstract

Regular physical activity during childhood is important for optimal physical and psychological development. For individuals with Type 1 Diabetes (T1D), physical activity offers many health benefits including improved glycemic control, cardiovascular function, blood lipid profiles, and psychological well-being. Despite these benefits, many young people with T1D do not meet physical activity recommendations. Barriers to engaging in a physically active lifestyle include fear of hypoglycemia, as well as insufficient knowledge in managing diabetes around exercise in both individuals and health care professionals. Diabetes and exercise management is complex, and many factors can influence an individual's glycemic response to exercise including exercise related factors (such as type, intensity and duration of the activity) and person specific factors (amount of insulin on board, person's stress/anxiety and fitness levels). International guidelines provide recommendations for clinical practice, however a gap remains in how to apply these guidelines to a pediatric exercise consultation. Consequently, it can be challenging for health care practitioners to advise young people with T1D how to approach exercise management in a busy clinic setting. This review provides a structured approach to the child/adolescent exercise consultation, based on a framework of questions, to assist the health care professional in formulating person-specific exercise management plans for young people with T1D.

Background: Benefits of physical activity are well recognized for youth with type 1 diabetes (T1DM), however being active is challenging. This study aimed to investigate the challenges experienced by adolescents, their parents and young adults with T1DM when they are physically active.Methods: Six focus groups involving adolescents (13-18 years; n = 14) and young adults (19-25 years; n= 7) and four focus groups with parents (n = 14) of the adolescents (13-18 years) were conducted. Data were analysed using content analysis.Results: Adolescents and young adults with T1DM identified challenges of unpredictability, knowledge, trust and stigma when they were physically active. Parent challenges were specifically unpredictability and trust.Conclusions: Interventions are needed that provide AYA with T1DM and parents of adolescents with T1DM more in-depth information about managing physical activity in a manner that enhances their perceived competence and builds autonomy. Interventions can also target peer and community support.