Effect of Once-a-Week Training Program on Physical Fitness and Metabolic Control in Children With IDDM

Abstract

To examine whether a physical activity program could improve physical fitness and glycemic control, 32 children and adolescents with insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus (IDDM) were examined before the program and 3 mo later. Fifty percent of the subjects (n = 16) participated in the training for 1 h/wk (exercise group), whereas the remaining subjects were engaged in nonphysical activities for an equal amount of time (nonexercise group). Age of the subjects ranged from 8.2 to 16.9 yr, (mean 11.9 yr), with mean duration of diabetes 0.6-13.1 yr (5.2 yr). During the 3-mo program peak oxygen consumption (VO2) rose from 40.0 to 43.8 ml.min-1.m-2 (P less than .01) in the exercise group but only by 1.3 ml.min-1.m-2 in the nonexercise group (NS). Metabolic control did not improve in either group, with glycosylated hemoglobin level rising from 9.8 to 10.5% (P less than .01) in the exercise group and from 9.4 to 9.7% (NS) in the control group. When subjects were stratified according to their participation, metabolic control was significantly better among diabetic subjects participating frequently (greater than or equal to 11 of 13 sessions) than among those participating infrequently (less than 11 of 13 sessions), regardless of the type of activity. It was concluded that a training program of 1 h/wk for 3 mo does improve physical fitness but not the metabolic control of diabetes. On the other hand, glycemic control appears to be best among diabetic subjects who are motivated to participate in any kind of program related to the treatment of their disease.

Effects of educational and psychosocial interventions for adolescents with diabetes mellitus: a systematic review

“…56,58,59,73,81,83,84,87,92,93,95,96,98,[102][103][104][105][106][107][108][109][111][112][113][117][118][119][120][121]126,127,131,133 Of the remaining studies, the interventions took place in family units, 59,60,97,124,129,134 in a mixture of group and individual settings, 94,[114][115][116]130 in some other arrangement or the details were not provided. 57,89,91,101,128 Of the 13 individual-based interventions, eight studies included a CG (five were RCTs and three involved a non...…”

Diabetes and exercise.

“…Several have shown reduced insulin secretion and hypoglycaemia but little reduction in HbA1c, [16][17][18] although when activity was stratified according to participation, metabolic control was significantly better among diabetic subjects participating frequently (at least 11 of 13 sessions), regardless of the type of activity. 19 More recently a study of 61 subjects with type 1 diabetes showed that modest changes in exercise and diet were suYcient to improve measures of glycaemic control and lipoprotein mediated risk of coronary heart disease. 20 In addition, some evidence suggests that the timing of exercise is an important factor, with regular postprandial exercise improving long term blood glucose control.…”

What are the health benefits of physical activity in type 1 diabetes mellitus? A literature review

“…Studies on type 1 diabetes that have estimated glycaemic control through fasting blood glucose have also failed to show a consistent benefit [21,31,33,34]. Predictably, however, these studies demonstrated that blood glucose decreases (without hypoglycaemia) around the time of exercise [35,36], as it does in healthy individuals [37].…”