Gluten is a general name for the proteins found in wheat, rye, and barley and is suggested to affect the development of type 1 diabetes.
High gluten intake by mothers during pregnancy is associated with an increased risk of their child developing type 1 diabetes. Gluten is a general name for the proteins found in wheat, rye, and barley and is suggested to affect the development of type 1 diabetes. In animal studies, a gluten-free diet during pregnancy almost completely prevented type 1 diabetes in offspring.
Women reported their diet using a food frequency questionnaire at week 25 of pregnancy and information on type 1 diabetes in their children was obtained through the Danish Registry of Childhood and Adolescent Diabetes. Average gluten intake was 13 gram per day, ranging from less than 7 gram per day, to more than 20 gram per day, and the researchers identified 247 cases of type 1 diabetes (a rate of 0.37%) among the participants’ children.
After taking account of potentially influential factors, such as mother’s age, weight (BMI), total energy intake, and smoking during pregnancy. They found that the child’s risk of type 1 diabetes increased proportionally with the mother’s gluten intake during pregnancy (per 10 gram per day increase). For example, children of women with the highest gluten intake (20 gram per day or more) versus those with the lowest gluten intake (less than 7 gram per day) had double the risk of developing type 1 diabetes over a mean follow-up period of 15.6 years.
The study published in the Journal of The BMJ
FROM AWARD-WINNING AUTHOR DR GOVIND SHUKLA, NUTRITION EXPERT
Govind Shukla, Specializes in Pharmacology, Toxicology, Nutraceuticals & Herbal Drugs has published More than 100 research papers in National & International Journals. He is also a reviewer of International Journal of Pharmacology & pharmacotherapeutics, Chief editor of IJPNR Journal & Freelance Medical Writer for Different publication Groups including Lambert Academic Publishing Saarbrucken, Germany.
