Could Genetic Testing Help Predict Type 2 Diabetes?

Boston (dbTechno) - Researchers have been trying to see if genetic testing could prove to be helpful in predicting who is at the highest risk of developing type 2 diabetes.  What they have found is that to this point, genetic testing is not advanced enough to be of any help.

Two new studies were published this week in the New England Journal of Medicine, focusing on genetic testing and type 2 diabetes.

One study was led by Dr. James Meigs from Harvard Medical School and focused on 2,377 people for over 30-years.

Researchers have reported that after testing for 18 different gene variations linked to type 2 diabetes, the method is just not that effective.

They found that the genetic testing was not anymore effective than a simple assessment by a doctor.

This is a blow to the hopes of being able to better diagnose type 2 diabetes, due to the fact that if patients knew of their high risk earlier they could do morme to prevent it.

Researchers did state though that for kids genetic testing could prove to be very valuable in the long-run.

Risk factors for type 2 diabetes include familiy history, diet, lack of exercise, etc.