The worldwide incidence of type 1 diabetes mellitus (T1DM) has increased in recent decades. The reasons behind this phenomenon are not yet fully understood. Early life infections, prenatal and perinatal factors, and diet composition have been associated with the triggering of autoimmunity and the risk of presentation of T1DM. However, the rapid increase in new cases of the disease raises the hypothesis that lifestyle factors, which have traditionally been associated with type 2 diabetes, such as obesity and unhealthy eating patterns could also play a role in the genesis of autoimmune diabetes. This article aims to highlight the changing epidemiology of T1DM and the importance of properly recognizing the environmental factors behind it, as well as the connections with the pathogenesis of the disorder and the need to prevent or delay T1DM and its long-term complications.
Keywords: autoimmunity; environmental factors; epidemiology; type 1 diabetes.