New hope for diabetics in the Gulf

A new finding by scientists in the UK could raise the hopes of diabetics in the Gulf, according to a recent article published on the website Arabianbusiness.com.
Gulf Cooperation Council countries are swiftly becoming one of the major global diabetes hotspots. International Diabetes Federation reports indicate that diabetes rates are soaring in the regio, with Nauru heading the table (30.2 per cent), the United Arab Emirates second (20.1 per cent), and less extensive but no less serious problems in Qatar, Bahrain and Kuwait.
The major driving forces behind the epidemic appear to be obesity and genetic predisposition, and this is where the UK discovery could be most useful. Scientists may have identified the genes that will allow them to spot who is most as risk, letting them develop early intervention techniques.
Professor Phillippe Froguel, of Imperial College, London, reportedly said: “If we can tell someone that their genetics mean they are predisposed towards Type 2 diabetes, they will be much more motivated to change things such as their diet to reduce their chances of developing the disorder. We can also use what we know about the specific genetic mutations associated with Type 2 diabetes to develop better treatments. The two major reasons why people develop Type 2 diabetes are obesity and a family link. Our new findings mean that we can create a good genetic test to predict people’s risk of developing this type of diabetes.”