Our data do not support the existence of a protective effect of breast-feeding on the risk of IDDM, nor do the data indicate that early exposure to cow's milk and dairy products has any influence on the development of IDDM in a high-risk population.

To determine whether lactase persistence might be related to ovarian cancer risk, in 1994-1995 the authors assessed the capacity to digest lactose by measuring breath hydrogen production after oral administration of lactose in 50 women with ovarian cancer and 100 healthy controls. All of the women came from Sassari (Sardinia), Italy, an area where the population has a high frequency of lactose malabsorption. Thirty percent of cases were lactose absorbers, as compared with 15% of controls. The odds ratio for ovarian cancer among lactose absorbers was 2.51 (95% confidence interval 1.10-5.68). These results provide some support for a role of lactose ingestion and galactose cytotoxicity in the pathogenesis of ovarian cancer.

No abstract

Background-It has recently been suggested that primary lactase deficiency might have been selected for by malaria, as has been previously shown to occur for thalasaemia and glucose 6-phosphate dehydrogenase (G6PD) deficiency. Aims -To test this hypothesis, the prevalence of primary lactase deficiency in G6PD deficient subjects and in controls from the area of Sassari (Northern Sardinia) was determined, which in the past was characterised by an intermediate malarial endemicity. Subjects-70 adult subjects with G6PD deficiency, 34 of whom had a past history of favism, and 50 age matched control subjects. Methods-The capacity to absorb lactose was assessed by measuring breath hydrogen production after oral administration of lactose (50 g) by a gas chromatographic method. Results-Twenty per cent of G6PD deficient subjects with a positive history of favism and 22% of G6PD deficient subjects without a positive history of favism were lactose absorbers compared with 14% lactose absorbers in the control group. The differences were not statistically significant.Conclusions-These data show that the prevalence of primary lactase deficiency in the area ofSassari is relatively high, but comparable to that seen in the adult population from another area of southern Italy (Naples) where malaria was less endemic.

No abstract