Download PDF
Exp Clin Endocrinol Diabetes 1985; 85(1): 1-6
DOI: 10.1055/s-0029-1210414
Original

© J. A. Barth Verlag in Georg Thieme Verlag KG Stuttgart · New York

High Food Supply in Perinatal Life Appears to Favour the Development of Insulin-Treated Diabetes Mellitus (ITDM)* in Later Life**

G. Dörner1 , H. Thoelke2 , A. Mohnike2 , H. Schneider3
  • 1Institute of Experimental Endocrinology, Berlin
  • 2Humboldt University Medical School (Charité) and Central Department for Diabetes and Metabolic Diseases, Berlin
  • 3Department for Diabetes, Prenzlau/GDR
* The term ITDM instead of IDDM (insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus) was used, since we do not know exactly, how many insulin-treated diabetics were actually “insulin-dependent”. ** Dedicated to Prof. Dr. H. Bibergeil on the occasion of his 60th birthday.
Further Information

Publication History

1984

Publication Date:
16 July 2009 (online)

Also available at
  PDF Download  Permissions and Reprints

Summary

1. Men who were born in war and post-war periods with shortage of food supply (1943—47) showed a markedly low prevalence of insulin-treated diabetes mellitus (ITDM), but not of non-insulin-treated diabetes mellitus (NITDM) in later life. 2. A significant increase (+ 54%) of ITDM prevalence was observed between 1976 and 1982 for subjects at 26—31 years of age, who were born in a post-war period (1945—50) with shortage and a peace period (1951 — 56) without shortage of food supply, respectively. By contrast, there was not found an increase — but even a slight decrease (— 14%) — of ITDM prevalence between 1976 and 1982 for subjects at 38—43 years of age, who were born in a peace period (1933—38) without shortage and a war period (1939— 44) with shortage of food supply, respectively. A similar clear dependence of diabetes prevalence on food supply in perinatal life could not be observed for NITDM. On the other hand, the prevalence of NITDM appeared to be significantly dependent — in contrast to ITDM — on food supply in adulthood.

Key words

Perinatal nutrition - Perinatal hyperinsulinism - Diabetes mellitus