Exposure to high
levels of a class of environmental pollutants may increase
the risk of developing type 2 diabetes, research suggests.
A team from the University of Lund in
Sweden found people exposed to high levels of persistent
organochlorine pollutants (POPs) seemed more at risk.
POPs are most likely to come from eating
fatty fish such as salmon.
The study, of 196 fishermen and their
wives, is published in the journal Environmental Health.
POPs are a family of toxic chemicals
that includes polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) and the
insecticide DDT.
They are by-products of industrial and
agricultural processes and are widespread in the environment.
The Lund team analysed blood samples
from the volunteers for levels of a POP residue called
CB-153, and DDE, the main by-product of DDT.
Significantly higher levels of both chemicals
were found in the blood of the 6% of men and 5% of women
who had type 2 diabetes.
Previous research has suggested that
toxic chemicals like POPs may decrease the ability of
the body's cells to take up glucose.
Another theory is that the chemicals
may trigger complex interactions which disrupt the body's
ability to break down fats.
Unusual circumstances
Researcher Dr Lars Hagmar stated that
people should not worry about eating oily fish.
He said the fishermen and their wives
in the study were exposed to exceptionally high levels
of pollutants.
The Baltic coast, where they ply their
trade, had been heavily polluted with POPs from industry,
he said.
The water was also shallow and cold,
meaning that pollutants took a long time to start to degrade.
The Baltic Sea was also surrounded by
land with relatively little circulation of its waters,
so pollutants were not as readily dispersed as they were
in other bodies of water.
Amanda Eden, a care advisor at Diabetes
UK, said: "While this study looks interesting, more extensive
research is required before we can draw any firm conclusions
of a link between these toxins and Type 2 diabetes.
"What we do know is that, a healthy,
balanced diet and regular physical activity can help reduce
the risk of developing Type 2 diabetes.
"We also recommend that people aim to
eat oily fish such as salmon or mackerel twice a week
as part of a healthy, balanced diet.
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