Huge increase in cases of diabetes among children

A number of papers report on a study carried out by the University of Bristol which found that the number of very young children with Type 1 diabetes has risen dramatically in the last 20 years.  The exact causes of Type 1 diabetes are unknown, although there is evidence that it might be at least partially inherited.  Researchers, however, said that the dramatic rise in the condition (the number of under 15’s with the condition almost doubled during the course of the study) suggested the environment must be playing a part.  There is a theory that there has been a rise due to the inability of children’s immune systems to cope with the infection because modern environments are too sterile.

(Times, p11, David Rose, ¾ page)