The Labour MP for Norwich North, Ian Gibson, issued an unreserved apology today to the long-suffering natives of Norfolk for suggesting their susceptibility to diabetes was because they were "inbred".

Mr Gibson, a Scottish scientist and former chair of the commons Science and Technology committee had intended to draw attention to the relationship of genes to the high rates of type 1 diabetes in the county but his use of the term caused outrage.

Long the butt of "inbred" jokes from non-Norfolk natives, many in the county, as well as diabetes specialists, had criticised the MP for making "disgraceful" remarks, which some said bordered on an accusation of incest.

Today Mr Gibson admitted on Radio 4's Today programme that his comments had upset many people.

"It has obviously caused a lot of offence and for that I unreservedly apologise," he said but added: "Words like inbreeding and outbreeding are very professional, genetic terms.

"We use them all the time but to the public that has connotations which they don't understand, or feel that it demeans them and I understand that and that is why I apologise."

Dr Gibson originally made his comments in an interview when he was asked what he thought was causing high levels of the condition in the county.

"I would imagine it is linked to the fact that people in Norfolk are quite inbred with many not leaving the county," he was quoted as saying.

Challenged by the Eastern Daily Press on whether local people would be offended, he replied: "Probably, but they are inbred. If you look at the names in Norfolk, there's a lot that are the same.

"There is an inbreeding complex in villages - people inter-marry. That might mean more of them have got the same gene which predisposes them to it."

Research has shown that some 345 children in Norfolk suffer from type 1 diabetes - more than double the 160 predicted cases for the county.

Dr Gibson said that he still hoped that there would be a proper study of the influence of genetics as a cause.

"I just hope in the study that is taking place they will look at the genetic influences and take it into consideration when they come to understand the structure of the genetic pool in an area like Norfolk," he said.

"This is a particular form where there is some evidence that there is a genetic component and you have to unravel the interaction between the genes and the environment, which is a very difficult area."

Scientists have long assumed that type 1 diabetes, a more serious form of the condition which often strikes children, has a genetic cause but still don't fully understand the relationship.

Dr Ketan Dhatariya, the consultant diabetologist at Mr Gibson's local hospital, the Norfolk and Norwich University Hospital, told the Daily Telegraph today that his remarks were "disgraceful".

"Its an insult to people with type 1 [juvenile] diabetes and their families and its an insult to people in Norfolk. There's no suggestion that this is the case."