The Environmental Determinants of Diabetes in the Young

The Environmental Determinants of Diabetes in the Young (TEDDY) is a multiyear, multinational effort to determine some of the causes of type 1 diabetes (T1D), also known as juvenile diabetes, insulin-deppendent diabetes mellitus (IDDM), or childhood diabetes.

Multiple research groups around the world are working together in this study (in Colorado, Georgia, Florida, Washington State, Germany, Sweden, and Finland). All of the centers are following children with higher risk genes. Information from each of the sites will be combined to maximize the usefulness of the research. TEDDY is currently recruiting patients, and is registered at the NIH Clinical Trials website. TEDDY is funded by the National Institutes of Health, the Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation, and the Center for Disease Control and Prevention.

Although the genetic markers are known, they only account as one of the factors responsible for the development of type one diabetes. As many studies have taught us much about the onset of type 1 diabetes, none of them have been extensive enough to conclude additional factors. TEDDY study hypothesizes there to be several environmental factors that trigger various stages of the onset of the auto-immune response responsible for type 1 diabetes. The study samples blood, stool, and monitors stressors, nutrition, and other various potential environmental factors in its research participants to cast a large net of multiple studies with multiple approaches. The study is designed to last for fifteen years.