Relationships between emissions of toxic airborne molecules and type 1 diabetes incidence in children: An ecologic study

BACKGROUND: Type 1 diabetes originates from gene-environment interactions, with increasing incidence over time. AIM: To identify correlates of childhood type 1 diabetes in European countries using an ecological approach. Several environmental variables potentially influencing the onset of type 1 diabetes have been previously evaluated. However, the relationships between epidemiologic data and exposure to toxic airborne molecules are scarcely studied. METHODS: ), and ammonia. RESULTS: or ammonia. CONCLUSION: Evidence justify further studies to explore better links between long-term air quality and type 1 diabetes onset at the individual level, which should include exposures during pregnancy. In this respect, type 1 diabetes could be, at least in part, a preventable condition. Thus, primary prevention policies acting through a marked abatement of pollutant emissions might attenuate future type 1 diabetes incidence throughout Europe.