Maternal and Childhood Diet and Human Type 1 Diabetes Risk

Abstract

Background:The incidence of type 1 diabetes is increasing worldwide for reasons which are incompletely understood. The objective of the study was to investigate the potential association of maternal and childhood dietary components to type 1 diabetes in a case-control retrospective study.Methods: Data of diet during pregnancy and during childhood before the diagnosis of type 1 diabetes were gathered using a modified food frequency questionnaire in 88 mothers of type 1 diabetes patients and 88 mothers of controls. Children born on the same day and of the same sex of type 1 diabetes patients were chosen as controls.Results: Consumption of savoury cakes, savoury pies and ice-cream was significantly more frequent in mothers of type 1 diabetic subjects than in mothers of controls in univariate, but not in multivariate, analysis. Children with type 1 diabetes consumed bread and fish more frequently, and chicken less frequently before diagnosis when compared to controls. There were no differences in the frequency of intake of milk, sweet drinks and tea, fruit, dried fruit, vegetables, potatoes, uncooked cereal, rice or pasta, pizza, savoury cakes and pies, biscuits, packaged snacks, cakes, candy or chocolate. Consumption of bread was independently associated with increased risk of type 1 diabetes whilst consumption of chicken was independently associated with decreased risk in multivariate analysis. Conclusion:We support the hypothesis that dietary factors may be implicated in the pathogenesis of type 1 diabetes.