Explosive increase in type 1 diabetes predicted
COMMENT: The changes over time are so rapid, say the authors, that they clearly cannot be because of genetic factors alone. They discuss modern lifestyle habits as possible contributory factors, such as increased weight and height development and increased caesarean section births. The higher increases are seen in Eastern Europe, where lifestyle habits are also changing more rapidly than in the richer European countries. The researchers say they are uncertain about the precise causes for the increase in incidence and earlier age of onset of type 1 diabetes. But they shouldn't be. See http://www.second-opinions.co.uk/diabetes-7.html. What have been the major environmental changes of the last quarter of a century? The biggest one, most likely to affect diabetes and obesity, is 'healthy eating' which was introduced in the 1980s and has been aggressively promoted ever since. And, as Eastern European
countries have joined the EU and come under the
influence of Western European dietary paradigms, it is
not surprising that the consequent dramatic change of
diet should cause an equally dramatic increase in
'western' diseases such as diabetes. Last updated 20 May 2009 |
