Type 2 diabetes, once very rare among children, is becoming increasingly common. This phenomenon particularly affects young people from non-European communities, especially First Nations children, who are among those most at risk.
Dr. Despoina Manousaki, a physician and researcher at CHU Sainte-Justine, is conducting a study to better understand how some children develop problems regulating blood sugar, a condition known as “dysglycemia”. This imbalance may be an early sign of diabetes.
Her project, supported by the Canadian Institutes of Health Research (CIHR) and Génome Québec, seeks to better identify the differences between genetic factors (what is inherited at birth) and lifestyle factors (such as diet or environment) in the development of diabetes in children.
Find out more about the project: Nature versus nurture of glucose homeostasis trajectories in children across different ancestries
This project is part of a CIHR program aimed at making medicine more inclusive, by taking into account the diversity of populations to offer fairer care adapted to each individual.
Discover the CIHR program: Research showcase – CIHR