The Environmental Determinants of Diabetes in the Young - TEDDY: follow up study

Umbilical cord blood was taken from 48000 new born children in the county of Skåne in order to determine the risk of hereditary type 1 diabetes. Of the screened children 7,4% had an increased risk. Of these, 2,525 children participate in the study follow-up part. TEDDY children will be followed until they are 15 years old. Up until 4 years of age, the child visits a TEDDY office every 3 months. After 4 years of age, the visits takes place two times per year. If the child shows signs of an autoimmune process started, that the child has acquired antibodies in the blood, the child are followed-up every three months in the future. The study includes blood, feaces, urine and saliva samples as well as samples from the nails. Height and weight are recorded and children's physical activity is measured. Food Diary conducted during periods and sample on the family's tap water is taken. Further interviews are conducted and the parents respond to different questionnaires.

Purpose:

To identify environmental exposures that are associated with increased risk of developing autoantibodies against pancreatic islet beta cells in children. Children who develop two or more islet cell autoantibodies develop type 1 diabetes, which may take months or years. The secondary aim is to study the mechanisms behind why some children that developed two or more islet cell autoantibodies eventually develop diabetes. Show less..