Type 1 Diabetes in Children: The Bahraini Dilemma

Whilst a healthy diet and lifestyle is important in maintaining good blood glucose control and preventing long-term complications(3) little or no data exists on the dietary intake or lifestyle of children living with T1DM in Bahrain. Ethical approval was received from the Health Ethics and Research Committee of the Salamaniya Medical Complex in Bahrain, to undertake a descriptive case-control study of all children aged 6–12 years old receiving a confirmed diagnosis of T1DM in the years 2009 and 2010, compared with a matched control group of children recruited from primary health care centres. Whilst a role for infant feeding practices could not be confirmed, analyses of dietary intakes and Vitamin D status in this population group are ongoing and will further inform the development of effective prevention and management strategies to tackle paediatric T1DM in the Middle East. 1.