Testing the Accelerator Hypothesis

Abstract

OBJECTIVE—The “accelerator hypothesis” predicts that fatness is associated with an earlier age at onset of type 1 diabetes. We tested the hypothesis using data from the SEARCH for Diabetes in Youth study. RESEARCH DESIGN AND METHODS—Subjects were 449 youth aged P < 0.0001). This interaction remained unchanged after additionally controlling for number and titers of diabetes antibodies. An inverse association between BMI and age at diagnosis was present only among subjects with FCP levels below the median (P = 0.003). A decrease of 1 SDS in birth weight (639 g) was also associated with an ∼5-month earlier age at diagnosis (P = 0.008), independent of sex, race/ethnicity, current BMI, FCP, and number of diabetes antibodies. CONCLUSIONS—Increasing BMI is associated with younger age at diagnosis of type 1 diabetes only among those U.S. youth with reduced β-cell function. The intrauterine environment may also be an important determinant of age at onset of type 1 diabetes.