LONDON: People who are less likely to put on excess fat around their hips due to their genes are at higher risk of type 2 diabetes and heart attacks, according to a study.
While it has long been recognised that an ‘apple-shaped’ body is associated with an increased risk of diabetes and heart disease, the new research sheds light on the specific genetics linked to this body shape and the potential mechanisms behind the increased risk.
The findings, published in JAMA: the Journal of the American Medical Association, may help to better identify individuals at risk of developing these conditions and inform their subsequent treatment.
Researchers at the University of Cambridge in the UK studied the genetic profiles of over 600,000 participants from several large UK and international studies.
They identified over 200 genetic variants that predispose people to a higher waist-to-hip ratio, a measure of the ‘apple shaped’ body.
Using this data, the researchers identified two specific groups of genetic variants that increased waist-to-hip ratio — one exclusively via lower hip fat and the other exclusively via higher waist (abdominal) fat.
“We found that both of the genetic variants we identified were associated with higher risk of type 2 diabetes and heart attacks,” said Claudia Langenberg from the University of Cambridge. (AGENCIES)
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