Diabetes and ‘The Happiest Place on Earth’: safely attending an amusement park and riding roller coasters

Abstract

People with type 1 diabetes need to be aware of the potential impact of rapidly changing physical forces that occur during a roller coaster ride and other environmental factors that can impact on an individual's efforts to maintain optimal glycaemic control during a visit to an amusement park. An individual's tolerance to accelerations experienced during a roller coaster ride can be influenced by many factors including age, outside temperature, anxiety, hypoxia, infections and also hypoglycaemia. Before visiting a park it would make sense to speak to the specialist team about riding roller coasters and to be prepared to check glucose levels frequently. Individuals using an insulin pump should disconnect if they go on a roller coaster ride with electromagnets as these can affect insulin delivery from a pump. Elsewhere, visitors should account for extensive physical activity and temperature extremes which can cause glycaemic disturbances if not monitored. However, with thought and preparation, anyone with type 1 diabetes should be able to go to an amusement park and have fun. Copyright © 2015 John Wiley & Sons.