TY  - JOUR
AU  - Patton, Susana R
AU  - Gal, Robin L
AU  - Bergford, Simon
AU  - Calhoun, Peter
AU  - Clements, Mark A
AU  - Sherr, Jennifer L
AU  - Riddell, Michael C
PY  - 2024
DA  - 2024/6/13
TI  - Digital Gaming and Exercise Among Youth With Type 1 Diabetes: Cross-Sectional Analysis of Data From the Type 1 Diabetes Exercise Initiative Pediatric Study
JO  - JMIR Pediatr Parent
SP  - e57198
VL  - 7
KW  - exercise
KW  - exercises
KW  - exercising
KW  - physical activity
KW  - physical activities
KW  - digital game
KW  - digital games
KW  - gaming
KW  - electronic game
KW  - electronic games
KW  - computerized game
KW  - computerized games
KW  - pediatric
KW  - pediatrics
KW  - child
KW  - children
KW  - youth
KW  - adolescent
KW  - adolescents
KW  - teen
KW  - teens
KW  - teenager
KW  - teenagers
KW  - diabetes
KW  - diabetic
KW  - DM
KW  - diabetes mellitus
KW  - type 2 diabetes
KW  - type 1 diabetes
KW  - TD1
KW  - TD2
KW  - mobile phone
AB  - Background: Regular physical activity and exercise are fundamental components of a healthy lifestyle for youth living with type 1 diabetes (T1D). Yet, few youth living with T1D achieve the daily minimum recommended levels of physical activity. For all youth, regardless of their disease status, minutes of physical activity compete with other daily activities, including digital gaming. There is an emerging area of research exploring whether digital games could be displacing other physical activities and exercise among youth, though, to date, no studies have examined this question in the context of youth living with T1D. Objective: We examined characteristics of digital gaming versus nondigital gaming (other exercise) sessions and whether youth with T1D who play digital games (gamers) engaged in less other exercise than youth who do not (nongamers), using data from the Type 1 Diabetes Exercise Initiative Pediatric study. Methods: During a 10-day observation period, youth self-reported exercise sessions, digital gaming sessions, and insulin use. We also collected data from activity wearables, continuous glucose monitors, and insulin pumps (if available). Results: The sample included 251 youths with T1D (age: mean 14, SD 2 y; self-reported glycated hemoglobin A1c level: mean 7.1%, SD 1.3%), of whom 105 (41.8%) were female. Youth logged 123 digital gaming sessions and 3658 other exercise (nondigital gaming) sessions during the 10-day observation period. Digital gaming sessions lasted longer, and youth had less changes in glucose and lower mean heart rates during these sessions than during other exercise sessions. Youth described a greater percentage of digital gaming sessions as low intensity (82/123, 66.7%) when compared to other exercise sessions (1104/3658, 30.2%). We had 31 youths with T1D who reported at least 1 digital gaming session (gamers) and 220 youths who reported no digital gaming (nongamers). Notably, gamers engaged in a mean of 86 (SD 43) minutes of other exercise per day, which was similar to the minutes of other exercise per day reported by nongamers (mean 80, SD 47 min). Conclusions: Digital gaming sessions were longer in duration, and youth had less changes in glucose and lower mean heart rates during these sessions when compared to other exercise sessions. Nevertheless, gamers reported similar levels of other exercise per day as nongamers, suggesting that digital gaming may not fully displace other exercise among youth with T1D. 
SN  - 2561-6722
UR  - https://pediatrics.jmir.org/2024/1/e57198
UR  - https://doi.org/10.2196/57198
DO  - 10.2196/57198
ID  - info:doi/10.2196/57198
ER  -