A report published on the Lancet medical journal's Online First website draws attention to a substantial rise in incidence of type 1 diabetes in children. Type 1 diabetes is also known as insulin-dependant diabetes. Parents of these children have the task of giving their children or babies insulin injections several times a day.

Overweight siblings of children with type 2 diabetes are four times more likely to have abnormal glucose levels compared to other overweight children. Because abnormal glucose levels may indicate risk for diabetes or diabetes itself, these children could benefit from screening tests and diabetes prevention education.

Babies delivered by Caesarean section have a 20 per cent higher risk than normal deliveries of developing the most common type of diabetes in childhood, according to a study led by Queen's University Belfast.