Further evidence for the dependence of diabetes prevalence on nutrition in perinatal life.

In order to investigate the possible influence of pre- and/or early postnatal nutrition on the development of diabetes mellitus in later life, diabetes prevalences were ascertained in subjects of similar ages who were born in different periods with or without shortage of food supply. Between 1974 and 1982 the total prevalence of diabetes mellitus increased in Berlin/GDR by 26%. A significantly higher increase of diabetes prevalence (approximately 90%) was found between 1974 and 1982 for subjects at 26-33 years of age, whose years of birth changed from a "hypocaloric war and post-war period (1941-1948)" to a "relatively hypercaloric peace period (1949-1956)". By contrast, there was not found any significant increase of diabetes prevalence between 1974 and 1982 for subjects at 34-41 years of age, whose years of birth changed from a "relatively hypercaloric period (1933-1940)" to a "hypocaloric period (1941-1948)". These findings give further evidence for the dependence of diabetes prevalence in later life on nutrition in perinatal life.