Slow foetal growth can cause diabetes

According to a recent diabetes related study at the University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, slow foetal growth could be linked to the development of type 2 diabetes in adulthood.
Intrauterine growth retardation (IUGR) as it is technically know, apparently causes low birth weight, and influences gene development to increase disease susceptibility. Previously, high birth weight has been linked to type 2 diabetes development .
According to the researchers, the gene Pdx1 is influenced by slow growth, fundamentally affecting the development of cells that become defective amongst type 2 diabetics .
The research team noted that the mechanisms could be reversed, but further research was needed. The study was published in the Journal of Clinical Investigation.