Birth Order Linked to Increased Risk of Diabetes, Metabolic Disorders, University of Auckland Study

Long a source of sibling rivalry, birth order may raise the risk of first-born children developing diabetes or high blood pressure, according to a recent study accepted for publication in The Endocrine Society's Journal of Clinical Endocrinology & Metabolism (JCEM). First-born children have greater difficulty absorbing sugars into the body and have higher daytime blood pressure than children who have older siblings, according to the study conducted at the University of Auckland's Liggins Institute in New Zealand. The study was the first to document a 21 percent drop in insulin sensitivity among first-born children.

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