The IVY Study

The IVY Study - The I nvestigation of V itamins in Y outh - is a sub-study within the DAISY study. The IVY study is attempting to elucidate the role of a wide variety of genetic and environmental factors in the development of islet autoimmunity and subsequent type 1 diabetes. The IVY study's main focus is on dietary exposures.

Dietary factors currently under investigation include cereals, gluten, breastfeeding exposures, vitamin D, tuberous vegetables, total calories, fat, protein, carbohydrates, dietary glycemic index, dairy proteins, and nitrates. This information is collected via diet surveys throughout the child's participation in the study. Prenatal, infant, and childhood dietary exposures are all under investigation, and dietary variables are being investigated for both protective and increased risk effects on the outcomes. In addition to collecting information on dietary intake, we are also collecting markers of dietary status in the body, including polyunsaturated fatty acids, ascorbic acid, and markers of oxidative stress, for a relationship with islet autoimmunity and type 1 diabetes. This information is collected via blood and urine samples.

Thanks to the families that participate in DAISY and IVY, we now have an extremely valuable set of longitudinal data that allows us to explore these and other potential risk or protective factors in more detail than ever before. As this dataset grows, so does our ability to explore the complex genetic and environmental exposures that may be associated with, or protect against, the development of type 1 diabetes.