Increased odds for type 2 diabetes after prenatal exposure to Ukraine famine of 1932-33

Men and women exposed in early gestation to the human-made Ukrainian Famine of 1932-33 in regions with extreme food shortages were 1.5 times more likely to be diagnosed with Type 2 diabetes in adulthood. There was no diabetes increase among individuals born in regions with no famine. This is the first large-scale study of the relationship between famine severity during different stages of prenatal development and Type 2 diabetes risk.