Genetics and the Environment: Understanding Geographical Variations in the Incidence of Childhood Diabetes

Abstract. Interest in the geography of childhood diabetes has flourished worldwide as a result of the recognition that the place where a child lives is one of the most important determinants of risk. Childhood diabetes is thought to result from exposure to environmental factors which trigger a pathogenic response in genetically susceptible children. The paper reviews evidence of marked spatial and temporal variation in the incidence of childhood diabetes around the world, and examines the potential role of environmental and immunogenetic risk factors which may give rise to these patterns.