Researchers at the University of Sunderland are conducting a study to find out whether small lifestyle changes can improve the long-term health of people with type 1 diabetes.
The project, funded with £ 100,000 by Diabetes UK, will investigate whether breaking up long periods of sitting with short, frequent attacks of low-intensity walking can improve glucose levels and reduce health complications.
Research has already shown that these small changes can benefit people with type 2 diabetes. However, this is the first study to look at type 1 diabetes.
Type 1 diabetes affects around 400,000 people in the UK. In the long term, it can lead to heart and blood vessel diseases as well as damage to nerves, feet, kidneys and eyes.
It is the leading cause of blindness among people of working age in the UK.
70%
of people with type 1 diabetes failing to meet their blood sugar treatment goals, putting them at increased risk of complications.
80%
of people with T1D struggle to meet physical activity guidelines
The NHS and Diabetes UK encourage all people with diabetes to be more physically active, but even those who exercise may still have a sedentary lifestyle if they sit for long periods of time.
Exercise can also make it more difficult for people with type 1 diabetes to control their glucose levels.
Exercise can be difficult for people with type 1 diabetes. Sometimes it is difficult to know what your blood sugar will do in response to exercise, and it is very difficult to predict, so you need to be very careful. There are also the implications that people who live with diabetes long term can damage muscles, damage bones and feet, and make exercise quite difficult.
Eddie Johnston, Diabetes UK
The researchers hope the study results can influence treatment decisions and advice for people with type 1 diabetes.
While you may meet physical activity guidelines, sitting for long periods of time may still fall you into the sedentary lifestyle category. What is urgently needed for people with T1D is simple and acceptable ways that people can more easily integrate physical activity into everyday life and spend less time sitting.
Dr. Matthew Campbell, Principal Investigator on Human Metabolism, University of Sunderland
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