Exposure to Type II Diabetes for Two Siblings With the Same Parents

Study Summary

Individuals with a family history of type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) are known to be at greater risk for the disease, and studies have shown that how the body responds to insulin, how the muscle creates energy, and the amount of fat stored inside skeletal muscle are often different in these individuals at a young age compared to people without a family history of the disease. The tendency to develop T2DM is influenced strongly by genetics; however, exposure to the surrounding environment may also play a role. The exposure to a diabetic environment while in the womb represents an altered nutritional exposure (high levels of circulating sugar, or glucose) that may affect how tissues important in regulating energy metabolism, such as the pancreas, liver, and skeletal muscle, develop. the purpose of this study is to measure sensitivity to insulin, energy expenditure, fat content of the abdomen and skeletal muscle function in young adult sibling pairs who were raised together but who are discordant for intrauterine exposure to diabetes (i.e., the mother did ot have diabetes during pregnancy with the older sibling, but did have diabetes during pregnancy with the younger sibling).