- βAID system users were more likely to report physical activity (87% vs 77β79% in other groups)
- βThe study used a large, registry-based sample of over 1,100 adults with type 1 diabetes
- βFindings highlight a critical gap: only 28% of participants meet weekly exercise recommendations
| Journal | Diabetic medicine : a journal of the British Diabetic Association |
| Year | 2026 |
| PMID | 41389295 |
What This Study Looked At
Researchers wanted to know whether using an automated insulin delivery (AID) system β a smart insulin pump that adjusts doses automatically β was linked to higher levels of physical activity in adults with type 1 diabetes.
How the Study Was Done
The study included 1,156 adults with type 1 diabetes from the BETTER registry. Participants were grouped by their diabetes treatment:
- AID system (automated pump + continuous glucose monitor)
- Pump + CGM (pump without automation)
- Injections + CGM
- Non-CGM group (injections without continuous monitoring)
Physical activity was measured using a validated questionnaire, counting activities lasting at least 10 consecutive minutes over the past 7 days.
What They Found
87% of AID users reported being physically active in the past week, compared to about 77β79% in the other groups. However, once researchers accounted for factors like age, sex, education level, and income, the differences were no longer statistically significant.
A striking finding: only 28% of all participants met the recommended target of at least 150 minutes of moderate-to-vigorous exercise per week β regardless of which treatment they used.
Why This Matters for You
If you have type 1 diabetes, this study suggests that the type of technology you use may matter less for exercise habits than personal and social factors. Regardless of your treatment method, most people with type 1 diabetes are not meeting exercise guidelines β and that's an area where more support is needed.
Bottom Line
AID systems may make exercising feel more manageable, but they alone aren't the key to an active lifestyle. Personalized support, education, and public health programs are still needed to help people with type 1 diabetes stay active safely.