Physical Activity in Adolescents with and without Type 1 Diabetes during the New Zealand COVID-19 Pandemic Lockdown of 2020

Abstract

Physical activity (PA) is an important part of lifestyle management for adolescents with Type 1 diabetes (T1D). Opportunities for PA were reduced by COVID-19 restrictions. Therefore, the purpose of this cross-sectional study was to compare PA among adolescents with and without T1D during the first New Zealand (NZ) COVID-19 lockdown. PA levels of adolescents aged 11–18 years with T1D (n = 33) and healthy controls (n = 34) were assessed through self-reported and parent proxy-reported questionnaires. Overall, PA levels during lockdown were below recommended levels. PA levels did not differ between T1D and control participants (p = 0.212) nor between genders (p = 0.149). Younger adolescents tended to be more active than older adolescents (p = 0.079). PA level was negatively associated with BMI z-score (r = −0.29, p = 0.026) but was not associated with socioeconomic status (SES) or T1D-related parameters. In the T1D group, higher HbA1c was associated with lower school decile (r = −0.58, p < 0.001) and higher BMI z-score (r = 0.68, p < 0.001). Overall, young people were insufficiently active during lockdown, and some sub-groups were more affected than others by the restrictions. Pandemics are likely to be part of our future, and further studies are needed to understand their impact on the health and wellbeing of adolescents.

The Impact of the Covid-19 Pandemic on the Well-Being and Diabetes Management of Adolescents With Type 1 Diabetes and Their Caregivers: A Scoping Review

“…activity, which reflects the fact that the lockdown period has led to a more sedentary lifestyle (34,35). In this scenario, only one study evaluated the effect of Covid-19 on DD among adolescents with T1DM, thereby taking into account the psychosocial side.…”

“…More specifically, N = 4 studies (29)(30)(31)34) reported the Time in Range (TIR), comprising also the Time Above Range (TAR) and the Time Below Range (TBR) which were reported by N = 3 (30,31,34) studies. Hemoglobin A1c (HbA1c) was instead reported by N=6 studies (29,(31)(32)(33)(34)(35), with N = 2 studies also reporting information about the Glucose Management Indicator (GMI) (30,31) representing the estimates A1c (eA1c). The Low and High Blood Glucose Indices (LBGI and HBGI, respectively) were reported by N = 2 studies (29,31), while the Mean Glucose by N = 3 studies (29,31,34); of these, N = 2 (29, 31) also provided the sample's glucose SD.…”

Impact of the 2020 New Zealand COVID‐19 lockdown on participants in a community‐based, peer‐led fall prevention program

“…Levels of both physical activity and conditioning were perceived by participants to be preserved or even increased. This was at least in part due to an increase in walking for exercise, as going for a walk was one way people could leave home during lockdown and was widely encouraged by the NZ Ministry of Health to promote well‐being 15,16 . Further, the implementation of alternative forms of exercise, including SAYGO exercise equivalents, contributed to the maintenance of physical activity in our cohort.…”

Changes in cardiovascular risk factors among children and young adults with type 1 diabetes during the COVID‐19 pandemic compared to previous years—Results from the German DPV registry

“…Several previous studies have reported a worrying decline in physical activity in children and adolescents with and without diabetes. 8 , 37 , 38 In regard to a recent meta‐analysis we have to assume that not only the percentage of individuals doing organized sports but also the amount of physical activity, especially with high intensity, was lower. 10 As in the DPV registry, only club sports are accurately documented, children might have played outdoors to a higher extent, adolescents and young adults could have performed at‐home exercises or increased their habitual physical activity as suggested by a study on children during the first lockdown in Germany.…”