Acceptability and Feasibility of Examining Physical Activity in Young Children with Type 1 Diabetes.
Carrie B Tully, Miriam Toaff, Linda Herbert and 4 others
PMID 29290409WHAT IT FOUND
A hospital dance game and exercycle were feasible and safe in young children with diabetes, but most did not reach moderate activity.
Glucose monitoring and parent feedback were acceptable.
Key findings
01All 10 children had successful continuous glucose monitor placement, and parents reported satisfaction with participation.
02Of the 9 children with usable accelerometer data, 2 reached moderate activity and none reached vigorous activity.
03No hypoglycemia occurred during the exercise session or the hour after it, and children spent a majority of days outside the recommended glucose range.
STILL TO COME
How it was doneWhat they foundWhat it means for PTsWhat it means for RNs
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What it does not show
Only 10 children were studied, so this is a feasibility pilot, not evidence that exercise changes glucose control. The exercise session did not reach vigorous intensity, so it cannot answer how higher-intensity activity affects glucose. One accelerometer malfunctioned, and some CGM and accelerometer data were not usable, so not all planned measurements were complete. The activity session was in a clinic, while preschoolers usually move in unstructured play, so results may not reflect everyday activity. Parents reported high satisfaction with their child's activity level despite objective data showing sedentary time, so parent report alone may miss low activity.
Declared interests
The authors declared no conflicts of interest.
The easy way to misread this
Do not conclude that a dance game or exercycle improves glucose control in young children with diabetes. This pilot measured feasibility and activity levels in 10 children, and the exercise session did not reach vigorous intensity.