Adolescents with type 1 diabetes can achieve glycemic targets on intensive insulin therapy without excessive weight gain

INTRODUCTION: The aim of this study was to compare glycemic control and body mass index standard deviation score (BMI‐SDS) before and after implementation of intensive insulin therapy using multiple daily injection (MDI) or continuous subcutaneous insulin infusion (CSII) in adolescents with type 1 diabetes (T1D) attending a large multidisciplinary paediatric diabetes clinic in Australia. METHODS: Prospective data were collected for cross‐sectional comparison of youth aged 10.0–17.9 years (n = 669) from routine follow‐up visits to the diabetes clinic in 2004, 2010, and 2016. Outcome measures included HbA1c; BMI‐SDS; and insulin regimen. RESULTS: BMI‐SDS remained stable between 2004 to 2016 in the 10–13 and 14–17 year age group (0.7 vs. 0.5, p = .12 and 0.7 vs. 0.7, p = .93, respectively). BMI‐SDS was not different across HbA1c groups; <53 mmol/mol (7.0%), 53 to <75 mmol/mol (<7.0 to <9.0%) and >75 mmol/mol (>9.0%) in 2004 (p = .873), 2010 (p = .10) or 2016 (p = .630). Mean HbA1c decreased from 2004 to 2016 in the 10–13 year (69 mmol/mol (8.4%) vs. 57 mmol/mol (7.4%), p = <.001) and 14–17 year group (72 mmol/mol (8.7%) vs. 63 mmol/mol (7.9%), p = <.001). Prior to the implementation of MDI and CSII in 2004 only 10% of 10–13 year olds and 8% of 14–17 year olds achieved the international target for glycemic control (HbA(1c) 53 mmol/mol [<7.0%]). In 2016, this increased to 31% of 10–13 year olds and 21% of 14–17 year olds. CONCLUSIONS: BMI‐SDS did not increase with the change to intensive insulin therapy despite a doubling in the number of adolescents achieving the recommended glycemic target of <7.0% (53 mmol/mol). HbA1c was not associated with weight gain.