Increasing Incidence of Diabetes Mellitus Type 1 in Children -- the Role of Environmental Factors.

The incidence of diabetes type 1, a chronic autoimmune disease, may reach the status of an epidemic in the 21st century. The highest incidence of diabetes in the world is observed in Finland. However, in the last 8 years a dynamic rise has been observed in Poland, moving the country toward an intermediate level incidence classification. Environmental factors seem to play a part in the observed increase in diabetes incidence both in Poland and in the world since, by acting on genetically predisposed ground prompt to auto-aggression, they may provoke disease occurrence. The study was carried out on a group of 511 children aged 0-15 years (255 girls and 256 boys). During the period of analysis (1998-2005) almost a two-fold increase in the diabetes incidence rate was observed (1998-10.4 vs 2005-20.4). The identification of all the factors increasing the risk of diabetes mellitus type 1 shall allow for understanding of diabetes ethiopathogenesis, and thus might create a chance for development of new prevention strategies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]