Studies have determined that there are large ethnic and geographical variations in the prevalence of type 1 and type 2 diabetes in the world. However, the distinction between type 1 and type 2 diabetes might not be as clear as previously thought according to experts like Dr. Lief Groop of Lund University in Sweden. Mutations in the insulin receptor can cause severe diseases in newborns. In the majority of type 2 diabetes, however, the disease is characterized by the familiar pattern of insulin resistance, abdominal obesity, lipid disorders, hypertension, and heart disease. This syndrome seems to be inherited, but the underlying genetic defects are not now known.
Many researchers believe the origin of the defects can be found in our long ago past.
It is thought that these same protective mechanisms might be a cause for the current type 2 epidemic that is enveloping the world. Stop a second and think about Finland with all of those hardy people. Type 1 diabetes was rare in Finland before the 1930's,and became more evident in the 1950's. They are looking into the association of cow's milk and diabetes, looking at the denial of cow's milk protein in the first six months of life in children in the high-risk group, and the effect on developing the disease in the first 10 years of life. There will be two groups of children in the program, one which is a protein hydrolysate and the other a commonly used cow's milk-based infant formula.