DIET, COWS MILK PROTEIN ANTIBODIES AND THE RISK OF IDDM IN FINNISH CHILDREN

Associations of infant feeding patterns and milk consumption with cow' s milk protein antibody titres were studied in 697 newly-diagnosed dia betic children, 415 sibling-control children and 86 birth-date- and se x-matched population-based control children in the nationwide ''Childh ood Diabetes in Finland'' study. IgA and IgG antibody titres to the pr oteins of cow's milk formula, BLG and BSA, and IgM antibody titres to cow's milk formula proteins were measured by ELISA. Several inverse co rrelations were observed between the duration of breast-feeding or age at introduction of dairy products and antibody titres, and positive c orrelations were observed between milk consumption and antibody titres in all three populations studied. Multivariate analyses which include d the infant feeding variables, milk consumption and current age simul taneously showed that the earlier the introduction of dairy products a nd the greater the consumption of milk was, the higher several antibod y titres were. High IgA antibody titres to cow's milk formula were ass ociated with a greater risk of IDDM both among diabetic-population-con trol and diabetic-sibling-control pairs when adjusted for other cow's milk antibody titres, dietary variables and in diabetic-sibling-contro l pairs also for ICA. The results suggest that young age at introducti on of dairy products and high milk consumption during childhood increa se the levels of cow's milk antibodies and that high IgA antibodies to cow's milk formula are independently associated with increased risk o f IDDM.