Association between infant growth before onset of juvenile type-1 diabetes and autoantibodies to IA-2. Netherlands Kolibrie study group of childhood diabetes.

Secular growth changes have not been linked with type-1 diabetes. Longitudinal growth analysis in prediabetic type-1 children indicated increased body mass index (BMI) in the first year of life and an increased growth in length in the next 2 years. These heavier and taller children presented with autoantibodies against pancreatic islet tyrosine phosphatases at diagnosis many years later. It is possible that increased BMI during the first year of life and the development of such autoantibodies represents an additional risk marker towards earlier clinical onset of disease.