Thursday June 27, 2013 (foodconsumer.org) -- A new study released in the American Journal of Epidemiology suggests that vitamin D deficiency or insufficiency may lead to the development of type 1 diabetes mellitus.Type 1 diabetes mellitus is a disease in which the patient has no capability of producing insulin that is needed for blood sugar metabolism.  If left untreated, the health problem can cause a variety of serious complications.The study led by Dr. Kassandra L. Munger, Harvard School of Public Health and colleagues shows that among non-Hispanic whites, those who had average serum vitamin D levels of equal to or greater than 100 nmol/L were 44% less likely to develop type 1 diabetes mellitus than those with average vitamin D levels of lower than 75 nmol/L.  The association was observed during a 5.4-year follow-up.The association was not observed among blacks and Hispanics.  (reporting by David Liu, PHD)