East Africans in Sweden Have a High Risk for Type 1 Diabetes

OBJECTIVE To investigate the prevalence of type 1 diabetes in children with an origin in Sub-Saharan Africa in Sweden. RESEARCH DESIGN AND METHODS Nationwide register study based on retrieved prescriptions of insulin during 2009 in children aged 0-18 years. The study population consisted of 35,756 children in families with an origin in Sub-Saharan Africa and 1,666,051 children with native Swedish parents. RESULTS The odds ratio (OR) for insulin medication in Swedish-born children in families originating in East Africa was 1.29 (95% CI 1.02-1.63) compared with offspring of native Swedish parents, after adjustment for age and sex, and less common in children who themselves were born in East Africa: 0.50 (0.34-0.73). Offspring of parents from other parts of Sub-Saharan Africa had a comparatively low risk for insulin medication. CONCLUSIONS This study indicates that Swedish-born children with an origin in East Africa have a high risk of type 1 diabetes.