Grant: Master's Award: Canada Graduate Scholarships

The number of Canadians living with type 1 diabetes (T1D) continues to rise. T1D is an autoimmune disease where the body does not make insulin, which brings glucose (sugar) out of the blood and into cells. T1D is managed by insulin therapy which involves the use of daily needles or an insulin pump. Even with insulin therapy, blood sugar often raises after meals when there has been an intake of sugar into the body. Regular after-meal blood sugar spikes can cause T1D related health risks and put stress on the Canadian healthcare system. There is a need to find interventions that can be used, with insulin therapy, to reduce post-meal blood sugar spikes in persons with T1D.Doing moderate-intensity endurance exercise, like walking, can help take sugar out of the blood and into cells, lowering blood sugar levels. Research has shown that 45;60-minutes of walking can lessen blood sugar spikes following a meal in a healthy population. Studies have not examined if shorter walks, which may be more manageable for people to fit into their daily routine, can decrease post-meal blood sugar spikes in individuals with T1D.The proposed at-home study will observe 20 people with T1D, aged 18-60, who use an insulin pump. The total study length will be six weeks. Following two baseline weeks, participants will be randomized into two 20-minute daily walking groups: before or after dinner. After two weeks, the groups will switch walking times. The results of this study will look at blood sugar levels over the four hours after a dinner meal. Sex differences in response to the intervention will also be assessed.This study may help create realistic, sex-specific exercise guidelines to improve after-meal blood sugar control in persons with T1D, enhancing T1D patient care and outcomes.