Increased Risk of Type 1 Diabetes in Boys Under the Age of 5 Years During COVID‐19 Lockdowns in Finland, Sweden and Stanford, CA, USA—An Observational Multicenter Study

Aims The COVID‐19 pandemic has been associated with an increased incidence of type 1 diabetes. Changes in the type 1 diabetes incidences in countries like Sweden where very mild COVID‐19 pandemic related measures were applied have not been established so far. We analysed the incidence of type 1 diabetes during the COVID‐19 lockdown and before the lockdown in Sweden, Finland and Stanford, CA, USA. Materials and Methods Type 1 diabetes incidence rates during the first 18 months of the SARS‐CoV‐2 pandemic (3/2020–8/2021) were compared to a period before the pandemic (three corresponding 18‐month terms 2014–2019) in Sweden, Finland and Stanford. Results In Sweden, type 1 diabetes incidence increased by 5% (IRR 1.05; 95% CI = 0.98–1.12; p = 0.18, N = 4458), in Finland by 17% (IRR 1.17; 95% CI = 1.07–1.27; p < 0.001, N = 2881) and in Stanford by 10% (IRR = 1.10; 95% CI = 0.91–1.34; p = 0.34, N = 531) during the lockdown compared to the time before lockdown. In boys under 5 years of age, the incidence increased significantly in all regions: Sweden (IRR 1.21; 95% CI = 1.00–1.46; p = 0.05, N = 521), Finland (IRR = 1.33; 95% Cl = 1.06–1.67, p = 0.02, N = 363) and Stanford CA, USA (IRR = 2.07"; 95% Cl = 1.06–4.02, p = 0.03, N = 37). Conclusions Lockdowns during the COVID‐19 pandemic may have untoward consequences such as an increased risk of type 1 diabetes in young children, boys in particular. The hygiene hypothesis may explain this finding.