Strong association between time watching television and blood glucose control in children and adolescents with type-1 diabetes mellitus

  1. Hanna D. Margeirsdottir, MD (h.d.margeirsdottir{at}medisin.uio.no)1,2,3,
  2. Jakob R. Larsen, MD1,2,3,
  3. Cathrine Brunborg, MSC4,
  4. Leiv Sandvik, PhD4 and
  5. Knut Dahl-Jørgensen, MD1,2,3 and the Norwegian Study Group for Childhood Diabetes
  1. 1Faculty of Medicine, University of Oslo, Norway
  2. 2Department of Pediatrics, Ullevaal University Hospital, Oslo, Norway
  3. 3Diabetes Research Centre, Aker and Ullevaal University Hospitals, and Faculty of Medicine, University of Oslo, Norway
  4. 4Center for Medical Statistics, Ullevaal University Hospital, University of Oslo, Norway

    Abstract

    Objective: To examine the relationship between blood glucose control and the time spent watching television in Norwegian children and adolescents with type-1 diabetes, in a population based study.

    Research design and methods: 538 children and adolescents from nine hospitals in the eastern part of Norway participated in the study. 70% of eligible subjects participated. The time spent watching TV and time using a computer was recorded separately by interview together with clinical data. Mean age was 13.1 years (SD 3.7), mean diabetes duration 5.4 years (SD 3.4), mean HbA1c 8.6% (SD1.3; reference range 4.1-6.4%).

    Results: 62 patients (12%) watched TV < 1 hour daily; their mean HbA1c level was 8.2% (SD 0.9), 189 patients (35%) watched TV between 1 and 2 hours daily; mean HbA1c 8.4% (SD 1.2), 166 (31%) 2-3 hours daily; mean HbA1c 8.7% (SD 1.4), 75(14%) 3-4 hours; mean HbA1c 8.8% (SD 1.2), and 46 (9%) ≥ 4 hours daily; mean HbA1c 9.5% (SD1.6). This trend was highly significant (p<0.001). The association between TV viewing and HbA1c remained significant, even after adjusting for age, BMI and insulin dose. No correlation between HbA1c and the use of PC was observed.

    Conclusions: Extensive TV watching is associated with poor blood glucose control in children and adolescents with type 1 diabetes.

    Footnotes

      • Received October 12, 2006.
      • Accepted March 9, 2007.

    This Article

    1. Published online before print March 19, 2007, doi: 10.2337/dc06-2112
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