Study leader Dr Mark Pearce, who is also director of the Thousand Families Study, said promotion of healthier lifestyles throughout life would be the public health interventions most likely to reduce insulin resistance in later life.
He said: "Previous studies have suggested that risk of poor health in later life is programmed by impaired development in the womb, and that poor growth in fetal and infant life is associated with impaired insulin secretion and sensitivity. However, not all of these studies have not had access to complete data on later life.
"Our study, which has examined people from birth to adulthood, suggests that the life you lead as an adult has the biggest influence on your health, in terms of diabetes risk, in later life.
Dr Pearce, of Newcastle University's School of Clinical Medical Sciences, added: "It's never too late to start living a healthy lifestyle and even though our study shows that childhood experience had limited impact on insulin resistance in adulthood, parents still have a role to play in introducing their children to eating a healthy diet and physical exercise, so they can develop good habits that will hopefully last throughout adulthood and old age."
Amanda Vezey, care advisor at Diabetes UK, said, "We already know that lifestyle factors play a large part in the development of Type 2 diabetes. This study further emphasises the importance of eating a healthy, balanced diet and taking part in regular physical activity.
"To reduce the risks of developing Type 2 diabetes in earlier years, it's essential to start leading a healthy lifestyle as early as possible."
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Contact: Dr Mark Pearce
m.s.pearce@ncl.ac.uk
44-191-202-3082
University of Newcastle upon Tyne
5-Jul-2005