October 2, 2003
Research: Causes and Prevention
Question from Laidley, Queensland, Australia:
I am a pension Officer with the Vietnam Veterans Federation, and we have a male client, in his 70s, diagnosed 43 years ago with type 2 diabetes. He saw active service during World War II (56 years ago) when Army rations were high in fat and salt, and the men were constantly dehydrated. He also suffered with Post Traumatic Stress Disorder at that time. Is it possible that this diet over a four month period, combined with extreme physical activity and extreme stress, could contribute to his condition?
Answer:
It is unlikely that the trauma contributed to his condition when diagnosed. Generally, type�2 diabetes is related to either insulin resistance or poor metabolic control. If the trauma of World War II (over 12 years earlier) were to be implicated, then the diabetes would have manifested itself much earlier.
ABS
