Insulin-dependent diabetes in under-fives
To establish the incidence of insulin-dependent diabetes diagnosed in children under 5 years of age in the British Isles during 1992, comparing the national and regional results with another 1988 national study, and estimating the 1992 study's level of case ascertainment.
Lead investigator
Professor JD Baum
About the study
In 1988, diabetes, a disease more common than those usually reported to the BPSU, was surveyed, and information on children under 16 who developed diabetes that year was collected. The study corroborated smaller local studies in finding a higher incidence of diabetes (13.5/100,000/yr) than had been found in the only previous nationwide study conducted by the British Diabetic Association (BDA) in 1973/74 (7.7/100,000/yr) for children in this age group.
Of particular interest was the finding that a greater percentage of children under five years of age in the 1988 study (25 % ) developed diabetes than might have been expected from the BDA study (19%).
This study followed up on the 1988 study. It collected information on children under the age of five years who were diagnosed with diabetes between 1 January 1992 and 31 December 1992. In addition, questionnaires were sent to the parents of these children as well as to the parents of two controls per case. The study design investigated whether there had been any increase in the incidence of diabetes among children under five years of age in Great Britain since the 1988 survey, and to define possible aetiological factors in the genesis of Type 1 diabetes within this age group.
Duration
January 1992 – December 1992
Published papers
Support group
Diabetes UK | helpline@diabetes.org.uk