The Pharmaceutical Journal
Vol 268 No 7189 p349-354
16 March 2002

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British Medical Journal (www.bmj.com)

Early action needed to prevent diabetes

Action to prevent type 2 diabetes in South Asian adults should begin during childhood, a study suggests.

Researchers in London took blood samples from 1,287 white and 73 South Asian children in 10 British towns. They found that South Asian children had higher average levels of insulin and insulin resistance than white children. These ethnic differences were not associated with corresponding differences in adiposity, they say.

The researchers suggest that the primary prevention of insulin resistance and its consequences may need to begin before adulthood (BMJ 2002;324:635).