Background: In order to prevent diabetes it is important to identify common, modifiablerisk factors in the population. Such knowledge is extensive for type 2 diabetes but limited for autoimmuneforms of diabetes.Objective: This review aims at summarizing the limited literature on potential environmental (lifestyle)risk factors for LADA.Methods: A PubMed search identified 15 papers estimating the risk of LADA in relation to lifestyle.These were based on data from two population-based studies; one Swedish case-control study and oneNorwegian cohort study.Results: Studies published to date indicate that the risk of LADA is associated with factors promotinginsulin resistance and type 2 diabetes such as overweight, physical inactivity, smoking, low birthweight, sweetened beverage intake and moderate alcohol consumption (protective). Findings also indicatepotential effects on autoimmunity exerted by intake of coffee (harmful) and fatty fish (protective).This supports the concept of LADA as being a hybrid form of diabetes with an etiology including factorsassociated with both insulin resistance and autoimmunity.Conclusion: LADA may in part be preventable through the same lifestyle modifications as type 2 diabetesincluding weight loss, physical activity and smoking cessation. However, current knowledge ishampered by the small number of studies and the fact that they exclusively are based on Scandinavianpopulations. There is a great need for additional studies exploring the role of lifestyle factors in the developmentof LADA.
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