Type 2 diabetes, liver and heart diseases: scientists have found a way to identify the risks of diseases in children
Scientists believe that a blood test can show a predisposition to metabolic diseases
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British researchers have developed an analysis of lipids – fatty acids – that can detect early signs of metabolic diseases in children, such as diabetes 2 types, liver and heart diseases.
Scientists from King’s College London have discovered a link between lipids and diseases that affect metabolism in children, informs The Guardian.
They are the conclusions of their research published in Nature Medicine.
Scientists believe that thousands of types of lipids in the human body cannot be divided into “good” or “bad”. Instead, each of them performs separate functions.
They decided to test this approach during an experiment with the participation of 1,300 children with a diagnosis of obesity.
First, the study authors assessed the lipids in their blood. After that, 200 participants used Holbeck’s model for a year, a popular method of lifestyle change in Denmark.
Further studies showed that the blood lipids associated with diabetes risk, insulin resistance and blood pressure decreased in these children. In contrast, body mass index (BMI) did not improve significantly.
“For decades, scientists have relied on a classification system for lipids that separated them into ‘good’ and ‘bad’ cholesterol, but now with a simple blood test we can assess a much wider range of lipid molecules that can be vital early signs of disease.”,” explained the study’s lead author, Dr. Christina Legido-Quigley.
According to scientists, it is possible to detect lipids that can demonstrate the risks of metabolic diseases with the help of devices already available in hospitals.
Thanks to plasma testing machines, medical professionals can detect early signs of the disease even in infants and help with treatment in time, say scientists.
“In the future, this has the potential to be a completely new way of assessing personal risk of disease. By learning how to change lipid molecules in the body, we may even be able to completely prevent metabolic diseases such as diabetes.”– noted Christina Legido-Quigley.
We used to toldcan children take popular obesity medications like Ozempic and Wegovy, Saxenda and Victoza.