Cardiovascular fitness and quality of life in adolescents with type 1 diabetes

A cross-sectional study was conducted with secondary data analysis to examine the possible influences of glycemic control and cardiovascular fitness on quality of life. Furthermore, we examined the influence of both individual and environmental characteristics on glycemic control, cardiovascular fitness, and quality of life. Data of 100 adolescents with type 1 diabetes whose ages were between 13 and 18.99 were analyzed. Glycemic control was determined with HbA1C. Cardiovascular fitness was determined through measurement of peak VO2. Adolescents' self-perceived quality of life was assessed with Diabetes Quality of Life for Youth and KINDLRTM health-related quality of life questionnaires. Individual characteristics included age, gender, race, Tanner stage of sexual maturation, and body mass index (BMI) for age. Environmental characteristics included family income, parental level of education, parental marital status, and neighborhood safety.;The adolescents' average HbA1C was 8.6%, which is higher than the treatment goal of 7.5%. The mean peak VO2 was approximately 34.7 ml/kg/min, which is poorer than the results from an earlier study that used a similar exercise test. Older adolescents perceived more impact of diabetes and worries about diabetes than younger adolescents. Cardiovascular fitness was correlated only with their self-perceived overall health. Glycemic control was correlated with perceived impact of diabetes. Among all the individual and environmental characteristics examined in this study, family income was the only predictor for glycemic control. Gender, race, BMI for age, and family income were the predictors for cardiovascular fitness. Sexual maturity and neighborhood safety were the two predictors for impact of diabetes, worries about diabetes, and perceived overall health. Sexual maturity was the strongest predictor of self-esteem. Paternal level of education predicted perceived life satisfaction.;Further research should focus on the underlying factors that might influence cardiovascular fitness in adolescents with type 1 diabetes from low-income families. It may be of interest to examine the relationship between family income and BMI for age. Sexual maturity was a major factor contributing to the variance of perceived quality of life. Further studies should focus on the influence of sex hormones, body image and peer acceptance on health-related quality of life.