environmental factors
Last reviewed 08/2022
Environmental factors in the aetiology of type 2 diabetes mellitus include:
- western diet, lack of exercise, obesity and hypertension have all been implicated in the aetiology of type 2 diabetes
- when migrant populations are exposed to a western diet the pattern of exercise the incidence of type 2 diabetes increases dramatically - from almost 0% to 35% over 30 yrs in one study of the inhabitants of Nauru
- Pima Indians have also provided clues to the aetiology of type 2 diabetes; amongst this population there is a strong correlation between body mass index and incidence of type 2 diabetes