Childhood fatty acid intake and the risk of islet autoimmunity and type 1 diabetes Original paper

The clinical manifestations of type 1 diabetes (T1D) are preceded by islet autoimmunity (the presence of circulating islet autoantibodies, which appear when the insulin-producing pancreatic beta cells are damaged).

Although it’s possible that dietary fatty acids and their metabolites could affect the processes leading to T1D, only one previous study had explored the potential associations between dietary fatty acid intake in children and the risk of islet autoimmunity or progression to T1D; additionally, that study had only looked at the intake of omega-3s and omega-6s.^[1]

In this cohort study conducted in Finland (the Type 1 Diabetes Prediction and Prevention Study), the researchers analyzed data from 5,626 children with genetic susceptibility to T1D to examine the associations between the intake of dietary fatty acids and the development of islet autoimmunity or progression to T1D.

The participants were followed up every 3–12 months until age 6 to assess dietary intake, islet autoantibodies, and T1D. Dietary intake was assessed 1–8 times for each participant using a 3-day food record. The dietary fatty acids examined were total fats, saturated fatty acids (SFAs), myristic acid, palmitic acid, monounsaturated fatty acids (MUFAs), omega-6 fatty acids, linoleic acid, arachidonic acid, conjugated linoleic acid, omega-3 fatty acids, alpha-linolenic acid, and long-chain omega-3 fatty acids.

The researchers made statistical adjustments to account for the effect of potential confounding factors, namely, caloric intake, sex, human leukocyte antigen (HLA) genotype, and family history of diabetes.

During the 6-year follow-up, 247 children developed islet autoimmunity and 94 children developed T1D.

Higher intakes of MUFAs, arachidonic acid, omega-3 fatty acids, and long-chain omega-3 fatty acids were associated with lower risks of islet autoimmunity, with and without adjustment for caloric intake. Higher intakes of total fats and SFAs were associated with lower risks of T1D only after adjustment for caloric intake.