Birth order linked to increased risk of diabetes, metabolic disorders

[Northerner]

Long a source of sibling rivalry, birth order may raise the risk of first-born children developing diabetes or high blood pressure, according to a recent study accepted for publication in The Endocrine Society's Journal of Clinical Endocrinology & Metabolism (JCEM).

First-born children have greater difficulty absorbing sugars into the body and have higher daytime blood pressure than children who have older siblings, according to the study conducted at the University of Auckland's Liggins Institute in New Zealand. The study was the first to document a 21 percent drop in insulin sensitivity among first-born children.

"Although birth order alone is not a predictor of metabolic or cardiovascular disease, being the first-born child in a family can contribute to a person's overall risk," said Wayne Cutfield, MBChB, DCH, FRACP, of the University of Auckland.

http://www.eurekalert.org/pub_releases/2013-02/tes-bol020813.php

 

[AlisonM]

So it's all my little brother's fault then? I thought so.🙄

 

[Caroline]

my late father had older sisters and a brother, none of whom has diabetes, or high blood pressure.

 

[LeeLee]

They make these sweeping statements based on a study of 85 children. The confidence interval must be enormous! If the same results were demonstrated by an epidemiological study of maybe 10,000 it might be worth shouting about.

 

[trophywench]

I - the younger child - got the diabetes gene.

Big sis got the cancer one ......

Don't think I'll swap thanks, if it's all the same to the people in Auckland .....