Utah's High Incidence Rates of Juvenile Diabetes (June 2, 1998)Utah doctors say we may have one of the world's highest incidence rates of juvenile diabetes. And researchers at Primary Children's Medical Center want to know why. Science Specialist Ed Yeates reports.
On a typical clinic day, doctors and nurses at Primary Children's see upwards of 20 kids with juvenile diabetes. And if they travel to outlying clinics, they see even more.
Ten-year-old Caleb Frost from Monticello was diagnosed with diabetes two years ago. At Primary Children's Hospital, he's learned how to give himself insulin shots and how to identify carboydrates in foods.
CALEB FROST, DIABETES PATIENT: "ICE CREAM DOESN'T REALLY HAVE THAT MUCH CARB, SO I EAT A LITTLE BIT OF ICE CREAM AND SKIP THE CAKE."
SCOTT FROST, CALEB'S FATHER: "WE LOOK AT LABELS AND COUNT CARBS AND TRY TO FIGURE OUT WHERE HE'S SUPPOSED TO BE AT AND HOW MANY CARBS HE'S SUPPOSED TO BE EATING IN A MEAL."
Caleb is among a growing number of kids diagnosed with juvenile diabetes.
MICHAEL SWINYWARD, M.D., PRIMARY CHILDREN'S MEDICAL CENTER: "WE'RE SEEING MORE NOW AND WE'RE SEEING YOUNGER PATIENTS. BUT WE KNOW FROM REGISTRIES THROUGHOUT THE UNITED STATES THE PREVALENCE OF DIABETES IS ABOUT ONE OUT OF FOUR HUNDRED CHILDREN. WE THINK THERE IS A HIGHER PREVALENCE HERE."
People in Finland, Sweden and Denmark have a higher incidence of the disease. And, it appears, Utah now may rank right up there with the top three. Since Utah has a high Scandanavian population, many children here may have a genetic predisposition for diabetes. Perhaps physicians are just better at identifying and diagnosing the disease in children?
"ARE WE SEEING THEM REFERRED IN AND WE'RE MANAGING THEM BECAUSE PEOPLE ARE MORE AWARE OF THE DISEASE OR IS THERE A TRUE INCREASE? FROM REGISTERIES IN SCANDANAVIA, IT APPEARS IT'S A TRUE INCREASE WORLDWIDE."
Research at Primary will set up a major registry to follow patients - to see if the numbers here are really that high. Scientists will also look at things like viral infections, cow's milk, or other environmental factors which may trigger a genetic prediposition for the disease. Primary would like to begin research by year's end. It's even hiring a major scientist in diabetes research to come here to coordinate the project.
More on Diabetes