50 per cent of Americans risk diabetes

According to a fresh report, over 50 per cent of Americans now risk developing diabetes due to a gene that influences the way in which the body burns sugar. The different ways of metabolising sugar, therefore, affect the risk of diabetes.
The research was conducted by an assistant professor of nutrition and dietetics at Saint Louis University . The findings confirm earlier research that indicated the influence of the gene FABP2 on the risk of diabetes. The gene is fairly common, and is used by the body to absorb fat from food.
According to the report, people who possess the variant gene process fat in a different way to those who do not have it. Diabetes occurs when too much sugar enters the bloodstream.
The author of the report, Dr. Weiss, reportedly said: “This study adds to what was previously known about this gene variant by showing that after consuming a very rich milkshake, people with the variant gene process the fat from the drink differently than other people. While the variation of the gene appears to contribute to the diabetes risk, it does not cause diabetes by itself.”
He concluded: “Many other genes, some known and some unknown, are involved in a person’s overall risk of developing diabetes. Those are things a person can’t control. But there are risk factors for diabetes that a person can change – lifestyle factors, such as diet and exercise .”
The news may help to inform many diabetics, but it does not mean half of all Americans will develop diabetes. Healthcare systems need to still be prepared as the disease increases in scope and scale.