Type 1 diabetes diagnosed before age 15 years in Canterbury, New Zealand: A 50 year record of increasing incidence.

Objective: To describe the epidemiology of pediatric type 1 diabetes over 50 years in Canterbury, New Zealand. Further, to explore variation in case presentation according to age, gender, ethnicity, urban/rural character, socio-economic deprivation and immunogenetic features.

Research Design And Methods: Prospective ascertainment of cases commenced in 1982, and incident cases presenting 1970-1982 were ascertained retrospectively from clinical records.