Genetics contributes more than obesity to the development of type 2 diabetes

Results of a study with more than 7,000 people were published in Scientific Reports, a Nature Research Journal.

DIABETESpredict will be commercialized in selected reference laboratories in the U.S.

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  This is the world’s largest study examining the contribution of genetics, family history and obesity in the development of type 2 diabetes.

• The study was possible thanks to the company Patia which specializes in genetic testing to asses risk of type 2 diabetes and gestational diabetes. Patia creates personalized prevention plans.

• The study showed that genetics and family history play a more prominent role than obesity in the development of type 2 diabetes.

The journal Scientific Reports published yesterday the results of a research study examining the contribution of genetic variants, family history and obesity to the development of type 2 diabetes.

Risk assessment and rationalized recommendations for preventive measures and personalized intervention was possible through the genomic tool DIABETESpredict, developed by Patia. This simple DNA test evaluates the genetic predisposition to type 2 diabetes through analysis of 16 single nucleotide polymorphisms or genetic variants. The study, entitled “Influence of obesity, family history, and genetics on type 2 diabetes”, compared non-diabetic controls with diabetic patients in a hispanic population of 7,258 people, and showed that genetic variants play a significantly more prominent role than obesity, particularly in men.

“Type 2 diabetes is a complex disease. Some people have no family history of diabetes, yet they have genetic variations that predispose them. It is important to discern genetic variants from family history and obesity, and to know the contribution that each of these factors has in the pathology to provide physicians with better tools for diabetes prevention” says MD, PhD Mirella G. Zulueta, Medical Director of Patia.

About diabetes

Diabetes reaches alarming figures in the world. 1 in every 8 adults has diabetes. One out of 3 adults has prediabetes. According to the American Diabetes Association there are more than 30 million americans with diabetes, which is the 7th leading cause of death in the United States.

Type 2 diabetes is a multifactorial disease involving genetic factors and environmental factors (nutrition, exercise, stress, sleep, etc.) that can be modified.

Discovering the genetic predisposition makes it possible to anticipate and define preventive measures, mainly focused on changing lifestyle habits related to diet and physical activity.

About Patia

Patia has developed a platform of solutions to prevent, manage and intervene in type 2 diabetes and gestational diabetes. Patia uniquely and cost-effectively integrates a set of high-performance genotyping tests with predictive algorithms, digital applications and lifestyle intervention.

Patia’s activity starts by translating the knowledge of large genetic studies on diabetes performed at the Broad Institute (Harvard University and MIT) in Boston, USA.