Incidence of diabetes mellitus in parents and grandparents of diabetic children

Abstract

The prevalence of diabetes mellitus in fathers and paternal grandparents was compared with that in mothers and maternal grandparents of 123 diabetic and 103 nondiabetic children. Although there was no difference in the prevalence of diabetes in mothers and maternal grandparents of diabetic children (12 relatives) compared with those of nondiabetic children (eight relatives), there was a higher incidence of diabetes in the fathers and paternal grandparents of diabetic children (19 relatives) than in those of nondiabetic children (five relatives). These data suggest that the factors that influence development of diabetes are more likely transmitted through the father’s family than through the mother’s.