According to widespread news reports this morning, the number of young European people with type 1 diabetes between the ages of one and five is likely to more than double between 2005 and 2020. Research teams from Ireland and Hungary confirmed that cases in older children would also soar. The news was reported in medical journal, The Lancet.
According to the researchers, genetics alone cannot explain the rise in cases, and lifestyle may also have a role to play in type 1 diabetes . The teams conceded that a lot more further research is needed before the true causes of type 1 diabetes in children can be identified, but their frightening prediction stands.
Researcher Dr. Patterson reportedly commented: “The children of older mums are at slightly increased risk of type 1 diabetes as are children born by Caesarean section and children with rapid weight gain early in life, while breast-fed children are at slightly decreased risk. Infections and viruses may also play a role. But currently none of these risk factors can be said to be responsible for the increase, the cause of which remains largely unknown.”

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