Environmental determinants of type 1 diabetes: A role for overweight and insulin resistance. (3rd June 2014)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Islam, Sadia T; Srinivasan, Shubha; Craig, Maria E
• Is Part Of: Journal of paediatrics and child health. Volume 50:Number 11(2014:Nov.)
• Page Start: 874
• Page End: 879
• Publication Date: 2014-06-03
• Subjects: Children -- Health and hygiene -- Periodicals; Pediatrics -- Periodicals; 618.92
• DOI: 10.1111/jpc.12616
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 1034-4810

Abstract

<abstract abstract-type="main"> <title>Abstract</title> <p>Rates of type 1 diabetes are rising globally, with a decreasing proportion of high‐risk genotypes and twin concordance rates below 50%. Therefore, environmental factors such as viruses, nutrition and overweight have been examined as putative aetiological agents. The accelerator hypothesis proposes that overweight and insulin resistance are central to both type 1 and type 2 diabetes and may explain, in part, the rise in type 1 diabetes incidence. The temporal rise in body mass index at type 1 diabetes onset and the observation that pre‐diabetic children are heavier and more insulin resistant than their peers suggests convergence of type 1 and type 2 diabetes phenotypes. The influence of insulin resistance may begin <italic>in utero</italic>, although the aetiological role of birthweight in type 1 diabetes remains unclear. Further research to elucidate the role of these modifiable risk factors in today's obesogenic environment may provide future potential for diabetes prevention.</p> </abstract>