Childhood-onset diabetes in the white and South Asian population in Leicestershire, UK.

The prevalence of childhood-onset Type 1 diabetes mellitus is important for determining health care provisions. In Leicestershire 13.5% of the childhood population (0-14 years) is of South Asian origin (census 1991). This study determined the prevalence of Type 1 diabetes in Whites and South Asians in Leicestershire, using a capture/recapture method to coincide with the 1991 Census day. Children (0-14 years) with Type 1 diabetes were captured from the central diabetic register. The health visitor and consultant records were used to recapture the cases. Total ascertainment of cases was 95-100%. The prevalence of Type 1 diabetes in White children (107 cases) was 0.75/1000 children (95% CI 0.61-0.89) compared with the South Asian prevalence (18 cases) of 0.77/1000 (95% CI 0.41-1.13). The overall prevalence in White males was 0.82/1000 (0.61-1.03) compared with 0.68/1000 (0.48-0.87) in females. In South Asian males it was 0.59/1000 (0.15-1.03) compared with 0.96/1000 (0.39-1.53) in females. The prevalence of Type 1 diabetes in children of South Asian migrants to the United Kingdom cannot be said to be different from White children.