High food supply in perinatal life appears to favour the development of insulin-treated diabetes mellitus (ITDM) in later life.

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Men who were born in war and post-war periods with shortage of food supply (1943-47) showed a markedly low prevalence of insulin-treated diabetes mellitus (ITDM), but not of non-insulin-treated diabetes mellitus (NITDM) in later life. A significant increase (+54%) of ITDM prevalence was observed between 1976 and 1982 for subjects at 26-31 years of age, who were born in a post-war period (1945-50) with shortage and a peace period (1951-56) without shortage of food supply, respectively. By contrast, there was not found an increase--but even a slight decrease (-14%)--of ITDM prevalence between 1976 and 1982 for subjects at 38-43 years of age, who were born in a peace period (1933-38) without shortage and a war period (1939-44) with shortage of food supply, respectively. A similar clear dependence of diabetes prevalence on food supply in perinatal life could not be observed for NITDM. On the other hand, the prevalence of NITDM appeared to be significantly dependent--in contrast to ITDM--on food supply in adulthood.