Jørgen Pedersen (1914–1978) was an

Epidemiologist Epidemiology is the study and analysis of the distribution (who, when, and where), patterns and determinants of health and disease conditions in a defined population, and application of this knowledge to prevent diseases. It is a cornerstone ...

. He is known for his hypothesis concerning the correlation of hyperglycemia during pregnancy and disease in later life.

Life and work

In 1952 he formulated the hypothesis that hyperglycemia in pregnant women might lead to hyperglycemia in their fetuses, causing complications in infancy and later life.

Hyperglycemia Hyperglycemia is a condition where unusually high amount of glucose is present in blood. It is defined as blood glucose level exceeding 6.9 mmol/L (125 mg/dL) after fasting for 8 hours or 10 mmol/L (180 mg/dL) 2 hours after eating. Blood gluc ...

in pregnancy is associated with unfavorable fetal and neonatal outcomes, since an increased maternal

blood sugar The blood sugar level, blood sugar concentration, blood glucose level, or glycemia is the measure of glucose concentrated in the blood. The body tightly regulates blood glucose levels as a part of metabolic homeostasis. For a 70 kg (1 ...

value correlated with increased fetal insulin levels and is involved so directly to the development of diabetic foetopathy. To consume

sugar Sugar is the generic name for sweet-tasting, soluble carbohydrates, many of which are used in food. Simple sugars, also called monosaccharides, include glucose Glucose is a sugar with the Chemical formula#Molecular formula, molecul ...

, soft drinks and sugary-sweetened foods is significantly positively correlated with a risk of a pathologically increased amount of glucose in the blood and diabetes. The annual Joergen Pedersen Lecture, in honor of Pedersen, has been established by the Diabetic Pregnancy Study Group of the European Association for the Study of Diabetes since 1980.The Joergen Pedersen Lecture.
PSG-Diabetic Pregnancy Study Group. European Association for the Study of Diabetes. 02 March 2017 (cached version). Accessed 18 October 2017.

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Pedersen, Jorgen 1914 births 1978 deaths German public health doctors