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Children younger than seven years with type 1 diabetes are less physically active than healthy controls
Acta Pediatrica, 08/03/2012
Sundberg F et al. – Physical activity is significantly reduced in young children with type 1 diabetes.
Methods- Using a repeated measures case-control study design, physical activity was measured by continuous combined accelerometer and heart rate registration for seven days at two time points during one year (autumn and spring).
- Physical activity data were expressed as time spent sedentary, in moderate and vigorous intensity physical activity and total physical activity.
- Differences between groups and gender were analysed with mixed linear regression models.
- In the study there were 24 children (12 girls) with type 1 diabetes mellitus and 26 (14 girls) healthy controls, all younger than seven years at inclusion.
- Children with diabetes were less active overall (p=0.010) and spent 16 minutes less in moderate to vigorous physical activity (p=0.006).
- The difference in sedentary time (21 minutes less) between groups was not significant (p=0.21).
- Overall physical activity (12.1 counts per minute/day, p=0.004) and time in MVPA (16.0 min/day, p=0.002) was significantly higher in boys than in girls.
- A significant effect of age was observed.