Hmm, two of my 1st cousins (out of 9 total) got juvenile diabetes at
puberty, and like I said before, they are on the Scandinavian side of the
family.  Also, I believe there is more than one 2nd cousin on that side of
the family with juvenile diabetes.  There's definitely a genetic component
of it, but it is very possible that it may also be related to the interplay
between those genes and food.
Michelle


> Boel wrote:
> > Unfortunately there is a lot of diabetes in Sweden. If I'm not mistaken
> the numbers are higher in S. than in the rest of Europe. If this is a
> "genetic defect" or just related to the food intake, I do not know.
>
> Finland actually are worse off when it comes to diabetes. They also only
had
> agriculture for 2000 years whereas Sweden, or the South anyway had it for
> about 6000 years.
> I read some research where suspicion was directed towards potatoes and
(red)
> beetroot. The idea was that there was a substance on or in these two
veggies
> that harmed the pancreas of the unborn child. Finland has a large
> consumption of potatoes and Sicily uses a lot of beetroot. Both countries
> have higher incidence of diabetesI than other European countries.

> Eva
>
>