Background: In the non-diabetic population, intramyocellular lipid (IMCL) accumulation is associated with obesity and poor muscle oxygen supply. IMCL levels are increased in type 1 diabetes, but their significance is less clear.
Methods: We studied a group of 16 prepubertal boys (age 6.4-9.9 yr) with type 1 diabetes and a range of glycemic control [hemoglobin A1c (HbA1c) 6.4-10.2%]. Children's adiposity was assessed by anthropometry, muscle oxygen supply by near-infrared spectroscopy (NIRS), abdominal and IMCL content by magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), and magnetic resonance spectroscopy (MRS).
Results: IMCL content did not associate with muscle reoxygenation rate, abdominal adiposity, duration of diabetes, or recent glycemic control. Muscle reoxygenation rate correlated with percentage body fatness (r2 = 0.46, p = 0.004), visceral (r2 = 0.45, p = 0.007) and abdominal subcutaneous fat volume (r2 = 0.63, p = 0.0004), and dietary fat intake (r2 = 0.27, p = 0.03) but not with the duration of diabetes nor HbA1c. HbA1c was significantly related to dietary fat intake only (r2 = 0.28, p = 0.03).
Conclusion: While causality cannot be inferred, interventions aimed at improving muscle oxygen supply, or preventing its deterioration, might reduce the development of adiposity in children with type 1 diabetes.