The gene variant behind Type 2 diabetes, low body weight risk

Are you suffering from low body weight? Scientists say that a well-known gene variant linked to Type 2 diabetes may also make people leaner or cause lower body weight risk. The finding comes as a surprise as many with Type 2 diabetes are obese. The new gene variant is called transcription Factor-7 like 2 gene. And through the discovery of new genes, researchers are finding distinct pathways through which individuals develop Type 2 diabetes.

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The study was conducted by researchers from the University of North Carolina in the US and the findings published in the journal BMC Obesity.

How is transcription Factor-7 like 2 gene linked to diabetes.

• Individuals with the new gene variant may be at the risk for Type 2 diabetes even while maintaining a low body weight.
• This information may be used to tailor treatments to help prevent diabetes or control blood glucose levels once the individuals develop diabetes.

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"The counter-intuitive discovery that some people are predisposed to both being thin and developing Type 2 diabetes refocuses our attention on the need to collect data in diverse populations and across time," said Kari North, a professor at University of North Carolina.

The study on new variant gene - transcription Factor-7 like 2 gene underlines the need to maintain healthy lifestyle.

• The team used population-based study data from more than 9,000 Hispanic Latino adults, age between 21 and 76 years.  Using complex modelling, researchers looked at the impact of a specific complex gene variant on changes in body mass index and then estimated the odds of Type 2 diabetes across time.
• Hispanic Latinos in the US face a striking disparity in Type 2 diabetes, with one in two developing Type 2 diabetes. This population is also 50 per cent more likely than whites to die of Type 2 diabetes, researchers said.
• The study will help scientists use genetic information to understand the causes of diabetes and obesity and understand their relationship to each other, researchers said.
• This can lead to personalisation in medication and help clinicians offer better treatment and advice on adopting healthy lifestyles.

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