Impact of a 4-week intensive track and field training intervention on glycaemia in adolescents with type 1 diabetes: The ChilDFiT1 study

Aim: To investigate the safety and efficacy of track and field training compared with intensification of insulin treatment only in adolescents with type 1 diabetes (T1D).Materials and Methods: Eighteen adolescents (seven females) with T1D were included (age 15.1 +/- 1.1 years, HbA1c 7.3% +/- 1.0% [56.3 +/- 10.9 mmol/mol]). After a 4-week observational control phase, participants were randomized to either stand-alone intensive glycaemic management (IT; telemedicine or on-site visits, three times/week) or additionally performed track and field exercise (EX; three 60-minute sessions/week) for 4 weeks. Glycaemia was assessed via continuous glucose monitoring during observational control and intervention phases.Results: Time in range (70-180 mg/dL; 3.9-10.0 mmol/L) significantly improved from the observational control phase to the exercise intervention phase in EX (69% +/- 13% vs. 72% +/- 11%, P = .049), but not in IT (59% +/- 22% vs. 62% +/- 16%, P = .399). Time below range 1 (54-69 mg/dL; < 3.9 mmol/L) improved in IT (3.1% +/- 1.9% vs. 2.0% +/- 0.8%, P = .017) and remained stable in EX (2.0% +/- 1.7 vs. 1.9% +/- 1.1%, P = .999). The EX group's HbA1c ameliorated preintervention to postintervention (mean differ-ence: Delta HbA1c-0.19% +/- 0.17%, P = .042), which was not seen within the IT group (Delta HbA1c-0.16% +/- 0.37%, P = .40). Glucose standard deviation was reduced signifi-cantly in EX (55 +/- 11 vs. 51 +/- 10 mg/dL [3.1 +/- 0.6 vs. 2.8 +/- 0.6 mmol/L], P = .011), but not in IT (70 +/- 24 vs. 63 +/- 18 mg/dL [3.9 +/- 1.3 vs. 3.5 +/- 1.0 mmol/L], P = .186).Conclusion: Track and field training combined with intensive glycaemic management improved glycaemia in adolescents with T1D, which was not observed in the non-exercise group.