Daily energy expenditure, cardiorespiratory fitness and glycaemic control in people with type 1 diabetes.
OBJECTIVE
Encouraging daily physical activity improves cardiorespiratory fitness and many cardiovascular risk factors. However, increasing physical activity often creates a challenge for people with type 1 diabetes, because of difficulties maintaining euglycemia in the face of altered food intake and adjustments to insulin doses. Our aim was to examine the triangular relationship between glucose control measured by continuous glucose monitoring system (CGMS), objective measures of total daily energy expenditure (TEE) recorded by a multi-sensory monitoring device, and cardiorespiratory fitness (CRF), in free-living subjects with type 1 diabetes.


METHODS
Twenty-three individuals (12 women) with type 1 diabetes who were free from micro- and macrovascular complications were recruited. TEE and glucose control were monitored simultaneously for up to 12 days, using a multi-sensory device and CGMS respectively. CRF was recorded as V02 max from a maximal treadmill test with the Bruce protocol.


RESULTS
Subjects (mean±SD) were aged 37±11 years, with BMI = 26.5±5.1 kg.m⁻², HbA1c = 7.7±1.3% (61±14 mmol/mol) and V02 max (ml.min⁻¹.kg⁻¹)  = 39.9±8.4 (range 22.4-58.6). TEE (36.3±5.5 kcal.kg⁻¹.day⁻¹) was strongly associated with CRF(39.9±8.4 ml.min⁻¹.kg⁻¹) independently of sex (r = 0.63, p<0.01). However, neither TEE (r = -0.20, p = 0.36) nor CRF (r = -0.20, p = 0.39; adjusted for sex), were significantly associated with mean glycaemia measured by CGMS.


CONCLUSIONS
Higher levels of energy expenditure (due to a more active lifestyle) are associated with increased cardiorespiratory fitness, but not necessarily better glycaemic control. Since increased levels of energy expenditure and good glycaemic control are both needed to protect against diabetes-related complications our data suggest they need to be achieved independently.
Human Development and Health, Faculty of Medicine, University of Southampton, Southampton, United Kingdom; Bioengineering Science, Faculty of Engineering and the Environment, University of Southampton, Southampton, United Kingdom.
John Joseph
JJ
Valletta
Bioengineering Science, Faculty of Engineering and the Environment, University of Southampton, Southampton, United Kingdom.
Andrew J
AJ
Chipperfield
Human Development and Health, Faculty of Medicine, University of Southampton, Southampton, United Kingdom.
Geraldine F
GF
Clough
Human Development and Health, Faculty of Medicine, University of Southampton, Southampton, United Kingdom.
Christopher D
CD
Byrne
D000328:Adult; D001786:Blood Glucose / Q000378:metabolism*; D003922:Diabetes Mellitus, Type 1 / Q000097:blood* / Q000503:physiopathology; D004435:Eating / Q000502:physiology*; D004734:Energy Metabolism / Q000502:physiology*; D015444:Exercise; D005080:Exercise Test; D005260:Female; D006321:Heart / Q000502:physiology; D006339:Heart Rate / Q000502:physiology; D006801:Humans; D007328:Insulin / Q000097:blood; D008168:Lung / Q000502:physiology; D008875:Middle Aged; D008991:Monitoring, Physiologic; D010101:Oxygen Consumption / Q000502:physiology; D012307:Risk Factors
D001786:Blood Glucose; D007328:Insulin