Children ‘more likely to develop diabetes in winter’

A new study has claimed children are more likely to develop type one diabetes during the winter.

Diabetes UK report that analysis of 31,000 children from 105 diabetes centres across 53 countries found a correlation between the season and the onset of type one.

The charity said their research showed of the 42 centres which exhibited this seasonal trend, 28 centres had peaks of diagnosis in winter and 33 had troughs in summer.

Victoria King, Diabetes UK research manager, said: “Results from previous studies in this area have been conflicting but this larger study shows a stronger correlation which is interesting, especially as we still don’t know exactly why type one diabetes develops.”

Type one diabetes develops if the body is unable to produce any insulin. This type of diabetes usually appears before the age of 40 and cannot be prevented.