Right, Gordonm.
By and large once it is in your family there tends to be a disposition to acquire both forms.
Type 1 Diabetes is either inherited or acquired through genetic "accident" (I am intentionally being vague on this last point). Both my younger brother and I became Type 1 at age 12. This is ironic because in normal patterns of diabetes distribution it is extremely rare for two members in the same generation to acquire it. In fact, it usually skips a generation. I have heard--
rumor mind you!--that there have been elevated rates of type 1 diabetes in the children of Vietnam vets. My youger brother and I, for example. Some believe that these cases may be the result of traces of Agent Orange or other dioxins. There have been studies done regarding Type 2 Diabetes and Agent Orange (
see this article ) but a great deal more is simply unknown. As a case in point, just compare the
treatment now with 10 or 20 years ago!
Keep up the good work with the mentoring and educating!