Type 1 Geography?

tim2000s

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Diabully often blogs about the topic of the reasons for increasing incidence of t1 and the triggers. They are convinced it is caused by diet, which could very well be the case. I haven't really looked into it.
 
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ann34+

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my own view is that something used in modern industry may be implicated. For instance, the Scandinavian countries on the list, and Saudi, and Sardinia, all have large mining and metal industries. Not saying this is the answer, but surely someone, somewhere , has done an analysis of the type of pollutants produced by different industries, for how long these have been produced by, or used in, the industry, and the numbers of the population exposed. Then maybe look at incidence in certain areas, even the jobs done by parents of type ones - there may also be an interplay with diet (most of the countries at the top of the list are overall wealthy). It is complex, as of course there is often a genetic element also but it surely would not be impossible to do the necessary research? maybe someone already is aware of at least part of the answer but any change would be just too difficult?
 
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trefall

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I had some free time so I did some searching for more comparative info. I found these (just in case someone is interested and bored)
http://healthintelligence.drupalgardens.com/content/prevalence-diabetes-world-2013 = On this site some neighboring countries that have very similar diets have 4-5% differences in diabetes rates. (Maybe medical reporting or medical budget?)
http://www.allcountries.org/ranks/diabetes_prevalence_country_ranks.html = On this list the lowest % 10 were -
Yemen, Papua New Guinea, Eritrea, Ethiopia, Malawi, Uganda, Burundi, Iceland, Rwanda, Mongolia (I'm not sure if the stat was based on population size or what but I can't think of anything those 10 countries have in common!)
We'll figure this out! :D
 

ann34+

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Nicola M

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I was diagnosed a week after my first birthday so I suppose the milk theory holds strong for me. I mean I didn't have anything other than milk before diagnosis really!
 
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donnellysdogs

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Brought up as non breast fed baby. Full fat gold top jersey milk by the gallon. We were a family of 5 and had 9 pints delivered each day. 2 brothers ok though.
Thing that bothers me is why some families can have more than one diabetic sibling and some just one. To me if it was simple as full fat milk or something similar then why not my siblings too?
 
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LucySW

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In some regions there are reasonably clear probabilities. Food cultures explain a lot. For instance, in Egypt (where I lived for fifteen years), the not so well off eat masses and masses of refined white rice, and the national drink is black tea with four sugars. This isn't what the elite eat and drink, but those who have problems managing. Meat and chicken are expensive and white rice and pasta are cheap. I suspect it's the same all across the near East and certainly the Gulf.

And it could be explained in northern protestant countries by preponderance of starch and low proportions of vegetables. The eating culture in France, Spain and Italy is different.

Edit: Sorry, I get that you're talking about genetic predispositions. But can't carbohydrate intolerance be inherited?
 
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azure

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Brought up as non breast fed baby. Full fat gold top jersey milk by the gallon. We were a family of 5 and had 9 pints delivered each day. 2 brothers ok though.
Thing that bothers me is why some families can have more than one diabetic sibling and some just one. To me if it was simple as full fat milk or something similar then why not my siblings too?

That article talks about risks for siblings including twins. Directing you to that rather than attempting an explanation myself as I'm no scientist : D Whether milk is involved or not, the sibling explanation is interesting in itself.

What surprised me was how many people have 'Type 1 genes' but never get Type 1 diabetes. It seems there has to be a perfect storm of occurrences to cause Type 1 - genes, but then a trigger and outside influences.

The theories on precisely what that sequence might consist of are fascinating.
 

RuthW

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I don't think Saudi sunshine is an argument against Vitamin D myself. What I know of Saudi is that as far as possible people avoid the sun. The men and women cover their faces outside, they live in air conditioned houses behind blinds and shutters, they travel in air conditioned cars with dark windows, they come out at night when it is cool, as far as possible. I think oddly it might be the outlier that proves that lack of Vitamin D is a very important factor.
 
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Brought up as non breast fed baby. Full fat gold top jersey milk by the gallon. We were a family of 5 and had 9 pints delivered each day. 2 brothers ok though.
Thing that bothers me is why some families can have more than one diabetic sibling and some just one. To me if it was simple as full fat milk or something similar then why not my siblings too?

I believe there are a few triggers, one being some people are just more susceptible. mine was shock, worry and stress and another auto immune condition as well. Son't

I know a lady, non diabetic who has four children, 1 girl ( the oldest) and 3 boys, 3 of the 4 children have type 1 diabetes !!She is a PE teacher, she still participates in Judo( GB squad) and 2 of the children do judo as well. A hospital is interested in the family.
 

trefall

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Robin (and others), I suggested the 'shock to the system' theory 25 years ago and a professor at a well-respected medical school laughed at me. :D My theory developed from family experience. An uncle went into the city, from his farm, for his annual check-up (for life insurance I believe). Anyway, he went and had the whole blood panel done and headed home. A winter storm hit and he went over an embankment off the highway. He wasn't found for two days. He had no broken bones or anything just dehydrated so they took him to the hospital. In the hospital they ran another panel. [drum-roll] He was Type 1, pancreas shutting down quickly. The funny thing to me was and still is, his full panel at his physical showed his H1ac was perfectly normal. He was Type 1 for the rest of his life (about 18 years). :confused:
 

trefall

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This thread is long-term I hope. Question - Those who are TYPE 1 only - Did your doctor put you on pills before insulin? I recall my doctor put me on pills for a week and said it wasn't dropping the way he wanted and put me on insulin the following week. I've always felt that had they stressed diet and exercise and tried it for a month, I might have gotten away from insulin. (20yo when diagnosed) After I started insulin I've always wondered if my pancreas just atrophied. Thoughts?

Also, found this - http://www.indexmundi.com/facts/indicators/SH.STA.DIAB.ZS/rankings
Trying to figure out why the other surveys say Finland has highest T1D in the world. This one (2014) says it's almost half what the US has. Also, why do you folks suspect Denmark has highest of 'nordic' countries and Iceland has lowest? Big difference in culture and/or diet? Or do you suspect this survey is bunk?
 
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