Study finds boys at higher risk for type 1 diabetes than girls

A study has found that young boys are at a higher risk of developing Type 1 diabetes (T1D) compared to girls. The research revealed that the risk for girls significantly decreases after the age of 10, while it remains constant for boys. Additionally, the study showed that boys with a single autoantibody, which are proteins created by the immune system that target other proteins, have a notably higher risk of T1D.

The research team from the University of Exeter in the UK suggests that the male gender may be associated with the development of autoantibodies, highlighting the necessity of considering sex in risk evaluations. Notably, the study found that, unlike the majority of autoimmune diseases, being male is a risk factor for type 1 diabetes (T1D).

This raises the hypothesis that either immune, metabolic, or other differences between sexes may impact risk or



progression through stages of T1D.

In this study, the researchers examined 235,765 relatives of individuals with T1D. They utilized computer and statistical modelling to determine the risk of T1D, presenting it as an estimated five-year risk for females and males after adjusting for confounding factors.

Males were found to have higher autoantibody levels (females: 5.0%, males: 5.4%). Additionally, males were more likely to test positive for multiple autoantibodies and had a greater absolute five-year risk of progressing to type 1 diabetes.

“The change in risk at around the age of 10 raises the hypothesis that puberty-related hormones may play a role," said the team calling for more research. The findings will be presented at this year's Annual Meeting of the European Association for the Study of Diabetes from September 9-13 in Madrid, Spain.