Diabetes Mellitus (DM) is a metabolic disorder associated with persistent hyperglycemia
due to inadequate insulin production or reduced effectiveness of its mechanism of action.
Type 1 Diabetes Mellitus (DM1), previously called “insulin-dependent diabetes” or
“juvenile-onset diabetes,” accounts for 5 to 10% of DM cases. The DM1 complications can
affect the living conditions of adolescents over the years and influence their quality of life.
Physical exercise is a therapeutic tool for the treatment of people with DM1 and can improve
insulin sensitivity and glycemic control, improving quality of life, mental health, and
physical fitness. Dance is a low-explored option of physical exercise in the context of DM.
In the present study, we report a single case study to investigate the potential of Jazz Dance
as an intervention to achieve glycemic management, promote mental health, improve the
physical fitness and quality of life of a 12-year-old female teenager with DM1, improve
physical fitness and quality of life in an adolescent with DM1. The intervention program
encompasses 24 Jazz classes twice a week, lasting 60 minutes, at moderate intensity (65 to
75% of maximum heart rate, Polar@). Pre- and post-intervention assessments (1 day after
the choreographic presentation) include usual physical activity practice (Physical Activity
Questionnaire for Adolescents PAQ-A), quality of life (Diabetes Quality of Life for Youths
- DQOLY), symptoms of anxiety and depression (Depression, Anxiety and Stress Scale -
Short Form - DASS-21), physical fitness (muscle strength of lower and upper limbs and
indirect measure of cardiorespiratory fitness), and glycemic control (glycemia and glycated
hemoglobin). Discursive textual analysis was also applied to assess the adolescent and her
caregiver experiences (CAAE: 66423922.2.0000.0017/Approval number: 5.913.924). The
results demonstrated a reduction in Fasting Glycemia (-16.02%), HbA1c (-4.00%), pre-test
(-24.21%) and post-test (-9.56%) heart rate, depressive and anxious symptoms (-7.14%), and
improved quality of life (3.61%). There was an increase in muscular strength in the upper
limbs (20.00%), flight time, strength, and power in the lower limbs (0.27%; 1.62%; 1.70%,
respectively). Despite limited evidence on the effect of dancing on people with DM, the data
presented indicate the beneficial potential of Jazz in the care of adolescents with DM1, just
as the report of the experience lived by the adolescent points to the positive impact of the
intervention on her self-care routine and perceived quality of life. Despite the limitations of
extrapolating our results to the teenage population with DM1, it is necessary to expand the
research to include a more significant number of participants, as well as expand research on
dance modalities as part of the treatment of DM1, aiming to quantify and qualify more
precisely the potential adaptations and modifications provided to these people through dance.
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