Is physical fitness associated with leucocyte telomere length in youth with type 1 diabetes?

Jacinto Muñoz-Pardeza; José Francisco López-Gil; Nidia Huerta-Uribe; Ignacio Hormazábal-Aguayo; Ana Ojeda-Rodríguez; Amelia Marti Del Moral; Mikel Izquierdo; Antonio García-Hermoso

doi:10.1038/s41390-024-03732-0

Is physical fitness associated with leucocyte telomere length in youth with type 1 diabetes?

Pediatr Res. 2024 Nov 14. doi: 10.1038/s41390-024-03732-0. Online ahead of print.

Authors

Jacinto Muñoz-Pardeza¹, José Francisco López-Gil², Nidia Huerta-Uribe¹, Ignacio Hormazábal-Aguayo¹, Ana Ojeda-Rodríguez^{3

4}, Amelia Marti Del Moral^{4

5}, Mikel Izquierdo^{1

6}, Antonio García-Hermoso⁷

Affiliations

¹ Navarrabiomed, Hospital Universitario de Navarra, Universidad Pública de Navarra (UPNA), IdiSNA, Pamplona, Spain.
² One Health Research Group, Universidad de Las Américas, Quito, Ecuador.
³ Lipids and Atherosclerosis Unit, Unidad de Gestión Clinica Medicina Interna, Maimonides Institute for Biomedical Research in Córdoba (IMIBIC), Reina Sofia University Hospital, University of Córdoba, Córdoba, Spain.
⁴ CIBER of Obesity Physiology and Nutrition (CIBERobn), Instituto de Salud Carlos III (ISCIII), Madrid, Spain.
⁵ Departament of Nutrition, Food Sciences and Physiology, Universidad de Navarra (UNAV), IdiSNA, Pamplona, Spain.
⁶ CIBER of Frailty and Healthy Aging (CIBERFES), Instituto de Salud Carlos III (ISCIII), Madrid, Spain.
⁷ Navarrabiomed, Hospital Universitario de Navarra, Universidad Pública de Navarra (UPNA), IdiSNA, Pamplona, Spain. antonio.garciah@unavarra.es.

PMID: 39543404
DOI: 10.1038/s41390-024-03732-0

Abstract

Background: In type 1 diabetes, telomere length (TL) may predict complications and could be influenced by glycaemic control and physical activity, but its relationship with physical fitness in youths remains unexplored. The aim of the study was to assess the association between physical fitness and TL in youth with type 1 diabetes, both at baseline and one year later.

Methods: Eighty-three children and adolescents (aged 6-18 years; 44.6% girls) with type 1 diabetes from the Diactive-1 Cohort Study were involved in this study. Physical fitness was assessed using spirometry on a cycloergometer (i.e., peak oxygen consumption), dynamometry, and maximal isometric strength (one-repetition maximum [1RM]), and muscle power. Leucocyte TL was assessed using multiplex monochrome real-time quantitative polymerase chain reaction.

Results: Positive cross-sectional associations were identified between 1RM (unstandardized beta coefficient [B] = 0.042, 95% bias corrected and accelerated [BCa] confidence interval [CI] 0.012-0.069), muscle power (B = 0.056, 95% BCa CI 0.02-0.250), and overall physical fitness (B = 0.043, 95% BCa CI 0.015-0.071) with TL independent of maturation, glycated haemoglobin, and diabetes duration. However, no associations were observed one year later.

Conclusion: Higher levels of fitness, particularly muscle strength, may play a role in telomere dynamics in youth with type 1 diabetes, suggesting that strength training exercise could be beneficial.

Impact: This is the first study to examine cross-sectional and longitudinal perspectives on the correlation among muscle strength, peak oxygen consumption [VO_2peak] and telomere length in youths with type 1 diabetes. Higher physical fitness levels, as assessed by measures such as one-repetition maximum, muscle power, and overall physical fitness, are positively associated with telomere length in youths with type 1 diabetes. Understanding this link could improve management strategies, prioritizing muscle strength training for better long-term health in type 1 diabetes.