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Premature Birth, Future Insulin Resistance?
November 18, 2004
(Ivanhoe Newswire)--Premature babies have an increased incidence of insulin resistance, a risk
factor for type 2 diabetes, according to new research.Researchers in New Zealand studied 72 healthy children, between ages 4 and
10. Among the children, 50 were born prematurely (one or more months premature),
including 38 at a normal birth weight for their gestational age and 12 at a low
birth weight.
The other 22 children served as the control group and were not born
prematurely.
Results show those born prematurely (regardless of birth weight) had a
reduction in insulin sensitivity compared to the control group.
However, results show no difference in insulin sensitivity among premature
babies of normal birth weight (for their gestational age) and low birth
weight.
Authors conclude, "Like children who are born at term but who were small for
gestational age, children who were born prematurely have an isolated reduction
in insulin sensitivity, which may be a risk factor for developing type 2
diabetes mellitus"
SOURCE:The New England Journal of Medicine, 2004;351:2179-2186
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