SKIP (Supporting Kids with Diabetes in Physical Activity) v1.0
Research type
Research Study
Full title
SKIP [Supporting Kids with diabetes In Physical activity]: feasibility of an online multimedia intervention to promote physical activity in children with type 1 diabetes (T1DM)
IRAS ID
203630
Contact name
Holly Blake
Contact email
Sponsor organisation
NUH Trust
ISRCTN Number
ISRCTN48994721
Duration of Study in the UK
1 years, 4 months, 1 days
Research summary
Being active is essential for diabetes management and lifelong health, but many children with Type 1 Diabetes do not adhere to exercise recommendations. We have conducted reviews of the published evidence, and interviewed children, parents and healthcare professionals. This has indicated that clinical staff view physical activity as important, but they identify a lack of age-appropriate evidence-based resources for their patients. Children may lack confidence in their ability to be active which is essential for developing exercise habits that will be sustained over time; children and parents may have a fear of hypoglycaemia associated with exercise. Face-to-face interventions can be effective but costly to deliver, less convenient for families and potentially have long waiting lists. Parents and clinic staff suggested an online package. Research shows that children with T1DM are comfortable with and prefer electronic media and their parents are receptive to the use of technology as part of diabetes management, but appropriate online resources are not currently available within routine care. We have created an online programme called STAK-D (Steps to Active Kids with Diabetes). This interactive programme promotes safe physical activity through building confidence, reducing barriers to exercise, and encouraging children (and parents) to set achievable goals, record and monitor their own physical activity. We will recruit 50 children (and parents) aged 9-12 years with T1DM. Half the group will receive the intervention and half will receive usual care. We will collect data after 8 weeks and 6 months, and compare groups. We are interested to find out whether children and parents use the programme, and whether we can collect high quality research data. If we are successful in both of these we plan a larger study to demonstrate the clinical value of the STAK-D programme in increasing physical activity, improving psychological health, and improving diabetes management.
REC name
East Midlands - Nottingham 2 Research Ethics Committee
REC reference
16/EM/0223
Date of REC Opinion
2 Jun 2016
REC opinion
Favourable Opinion