"Pollutants link to diabetes risk", BBC News, November 29, 2005,
Link: http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/health/4478192.stm

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 told the BBC News website 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."