logo
New genetic test could predict if you'll get condition suffered by 100million Americans decades before it develops

New genetic test could predict if you'll get condition suffered by 100million Americans decades before it develops

Daily Mail​4 days ago
Genetic testing may predict your odds of becoming obese years - possibly even decades - before the condition strikes, researchers have revealed.
A group of 600 researchers worldwide compiled genetic data from 5million people, the largest and most diverse dataset to date.
They used that data to create a polygenic risk score, a person's genetic predisposition for a specific disease. In this case, it determined the odds of having a higher body mass index (BMI) in adulthood.
The team found the score could be used to predict a person's risk of becoming obese as an adult - even for people as young as five years old. This could be instrumental for early intervention and preventing obesity - and its coexisting conditions.
Ruth Loos, study co-author and professor at the University of Copenhagen's Novo Nordisk Foundation Center for Basic Metabolic Research, said: 'Childhood is the best time to intervene.'
The score also was found to be up to twice as effective as those used in doctors offices based on factors like high blood pressure, heart disease, diet and exercise.
Additionally, researchers found people with high polygenic risk scores were also more likely to regain weight after losing it through diet and exercise compared to those with lower scores.
Loos added: 'Obesity is not only about genetics, so genetics alone can never accurately predict obesity.
'For the general obesity that we see all over the world, we need other factors such as lifestyle that need to be part of the predictions.'
The findings come as more than 40 percent of Americans adults - 100million - are now obese, meaning they have a BMI of at least 30.
Rates among young people in particular have surged the most, with quadruple the amount of teens being obese worldwide compared to the 1990s.
The study, published Monday in the journal Nature Medicine, used genetic data from 5.1million people worldwide collected from 200 studies and 23andMe.
The majority (71 percent) were of European ancestry, while 14 percent were of Hispanic ethnicity, eight percent were predominantly East Asian, five percent were African or African American and 1.5 percent were South Asian.
Overall, the researchers found polygenic risk scores accounted for about 18 percent of a person with European ancestry's risk for having a high BMI as an adult compared to 8.5 percent on average for scores used by physicians.
The remaining percentage is made up of lifestyle related factors like diet and exercise.
However, this rate varied depending on ethnicity.
For East Asian Americans, the score explained 16 percent of the risk for high BMI, though it was just 2.2 percent for people from rural Uganda and five percent for African ancestry overall.
Because most participants were European, the team said further research is needed to look at other groups, particularly those of African descent.
Based on the polygenic risk score calculated in the study, more than 80 percent of a person's risk for obesity can be explained by factors other than genetics, including where people live, foods they have access to and how much they exercise.
Dr Roy Kim, a pediatric endocrinologist at Cleveland Clinic Children's who was not involved with the research, told NBC News: 'Behavioral things are really important. Their environment, their access to healthy food, exercise opportunities, even their knowledge about healthy foods all affect a person's obesity risk.'
In children, BMI increased at a faster rate in those with a higher genetic predisposition than those with a lower risk, which was most evident at just two and a half years old.
Additionally, individuals with higher polygenic risk scores lost more weight in the first year of lifestyle interventions like diet and exercise than a control group.
However, people with high scores who lost at least three percent of their baseline weight in the first year had a higher risk of regaining it in the years that followed compared to a control group.
Dr Joel Hirschhorn, study author and professor of pediatrics and genetics at Boston Children's Hospital, told The New York Times: 'There is definitely predictive value in genetics.'
He added that with the new study 'we are now a lot closer to being able to use genetics in a potentially meaningful predictive way.'
Orange background

Try Our AI Features

Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:

Comments

No comments yet...

Related Articles

Covid vaccines ‘saved far fewer lives than first thought'
Covid vaccines ‘saved far fewer lives than first thought'

Telegraph

time44 minutes ago

  • Telegraph

Covid vaccines ‘saved far fewer lives than first thought'

Covid vaccines saved far fewer lives than first thought, a major new analysis has concluded, with researchers criticising 'aggressive mandates'. In 2024, the World Health Organisation (WHO) claimed that jabs prevented the deaths of 14.4 million globally in the first year alone, with some estimates putting the figure closer to 20 million. However, new modelling by Stanford University and Italian researchers suggests that while the vaccine did undoubtedly save lives, the true figure is 'substantially more conservative' and closer to 2.5 million worldwide over the course of the entire pandemic. The team estimated that nine of 10 prevented deaths were in the over-60s, with jabs saving just 299 youngsters aged under 20, and 1,808 people aged between 20 and 30 globally. Overall 5,400 people needed to be vaccinated to save one life but in the under-30s this figure rose to 100,000 jabs, the paper suggests. Researchers criticised 'aggressive mandates and the zealotry to vaccinate everyone at all cost', adding that the findings had implications for how future vaccine rollouts are handled. John Ioannidis, Professor of Medicine at Stanford University and the first author, said: 'I think early estimates were based on many parameters having values that are incompatible with our current understanding. 'In principle, targeting the populations who would get the vast majority of the benefit and letting alone those with questionable risk-benefit and cost-benefit makes a lot of sense. 'Aggressive mandates and the zealotry to vaccinate everyone at all cost were probably a bad idea.' Since 2021, more than 13 billion Covid-19 vaccine doses have been administered. But there have been mounting concerns that vaccines could be harmful for some people, particularly the young, and that the risk was not worth the benefit for a population at little risk from Covid. More than 17,500 Britons have applied to the Government's vaccine damage payment scheme believing they or loved ones were injured by the jab. In June, manufacturers added warnings for myocarditis and pericarditis to Covid-19 messenger RNA (mRNA) vaccines' prescribing information. For the new study, experts used worldwide population data, alongside vaccine effectiveness and infection fatality rates, to estimate how many people died from a Covid infection before or after the periods of vaccination. The team believes earlier modelling may have used overly pessimistic infection fatality rates and overly optimistic vaccine effectiveness, while failing to consider how quickly protection waned. Based on fewer assumptions Earlier studies may also have underestimated how many people had already been unknowingly infected by the time they had the vaccine. Dr Angelo Maria Pezzullo, researcher in general and applied hygiene at the Catholic University of the Sacred Heart, in Milan, said: 'Before ours, several studies tried to estimate lives saved by vaccines with different models and in different periods or parts of the world, but this one is the most comprehensive because it is based on worldwide data. it also covers the omicron period. 'It also calculates the number of years of life that was saved, and it is based on fewer assumptions about the pandemic trend.' The team calculated that around 14.8 million life-years were saved, one life-year saved per 900 vaccine doses administered. Researchers concluded that although vaccines had a 'substantial benefit' on global mortality, it was 'mostly limited' to older people. The over-70s made up nearly 70 per cent of the lives saved, while the 60 to 70s accounted for a further 20 per cent. In contrast, under-20s made up just 0.01 per cent of lives saved and 20 to 30s were 0.07 per cent. Professor Stefania Boccia, of the Catholic University of the Sacred Heart, added: 'These estimates are substantially more conservative than previous calculations that focused mainly on the first year of vaccination, but clearly demonstrate an important overall benefit from Covid-19 vaccination over the period 2020-2024. 'Most of the benefits, in terms of lives and life-years saved, have been secured for a portion of the global population who is typically more fragile, the elderly.' Sir David Davis, the former Brexit secretary who fought against vaccine mandates, said: 'Frankly it's a good cautionary tale that if we have another pandemic we should be far more clinical about the risk-benefit ratio. 'We knew pretty quickly who the most susceptible groups were and we should have focused very strictly on them, rather than placing people who were at little risk in hazard's way. 'The level of aggression of trying to force people to become vaccinated and shutting down people who were raising concerns, the reasons for those concerns are all validated in this report.'

Doctors invent at-home test for condition that affects millions of Americans but goes undiagnosed for up to 10 YEARS
Doctors invent at-home test for condition that affects millions of Americans but goes undiagnosed for up to 10 YEARS

Daily Mail​

time2 hours ago

  • Daily Mail​

Doctors invent at-home test for condition that affects millions of Americans but goes undiagnosed for up to 10 YEARS

A first-of-its-kind at-home test can reveal whether a person suffers from endometriosis, a condition that leaves patients suffering from debilitating pain and without a diagnosis for up to a decade. Endometriosis is a condition that causes tissue similar to the lining of the uterus, or endometrium, to grow outside the uterus. It affects at least 11 percent of American women, more than 6.5 million. This tissue thickens and breaks down, but because it grows outside the uterus, there is no way for it to the leave body like typical lining does in blood during menstruation. It becomes trapped and leads to the formation of cysts. It often causes damage to the ovaries, fallopian tubes and the tissue lining the pelvis and can cause extreme menstrual pain, pain during sex, excessive bleeding, fatigue, diarrhea, constipation and fertility problems. Typically, it takes about a decade for doctors to diagnose endometriosis because of misdiagnosis, stigma and lack of access to proper healthcare - which can leave many women in excruciating pain for years. In many cases, doctors conduct a laparoscopy to diagnose endometriosis, which involves inserting a small camera in the body to find the extra tissue near the pelvis, taking a sample and testing it for confirmation. Once a diagnosis is made, potential treatments include birth control pills to stop the menstrual cycle or hormonal medication. As of now, there is no long-term treatment or cure for endometriosis. However, researchers at the Pennsylvania State University have now developed a new minimally invasive test patients can do themselves that can detect a biomarker for the disease in period blood and get a diagnosis - and start treatment - years earlier. Developed by Dr Dipanjan Pan, a Dorothy Foehr Huck & J. Lloyd Huck Chair Professor in Nanomedicine at the university, and his team, the at-home test offers up a diagnosis with nearly five times more accuracy than a laparoscopy in just 10 minutes. Dr Pan explained to Newsweek: 'This is the first time we have a proof of principle pregnancy-like test that shows one can collect menstrual blood and run it in the privacy of home and obtain the results in 10 minutes.' He noted that menstrual blood and tissue that is shed from the uterus each month is often overlooked as medical waste but could help with earlier and more accessible endometriosis detection. The team's prototype device can detect HMGB1 - a protein involved in endometriosis development and progression - in period blood with 500 percent more accuracy and confirm whether a person is suffering from the condition, he explained. To conduct the test, a sample of blood needs to be added to what looks like a Covid testing strip. If any HMGB1 proteins are present, they bind to the antibodies in the blood and when tested, turn two stripes dark - giving a positive result for endometriosis. In case of a negative result, only one stripe on the test darkens. Dr Pan told Newsweek: 'Currently, the only definitive [diagnostic] method is laparoscopic surgery [keyhole surgery, often invasive]. 'While menstrual blood is not yet a standard diagnostic tool for endometriosis, it's an active area of research with the potential to revolutionize how the condition is diagnosed and monitored in the future. 'With our technology, we are hoping to democratize women's health by providing a much-needed tool to track the onset or progression of this disease at the convenience and privacy of home. 'We anticipate that combining this technology with clinical symptoms will allow for early detection or diagnosis of endometriosis in adolescents and women.' Additionally, he also noted that the new test can help reduce the costs and time involved in scheduling and conducting a laparoscopy. He added: 'A recent study found that the average cost for a woman with endometriosis was around $30,000 per year. 'This huge financial burden can be reduced [as well as the shame and isolation from stigma] if an accurate at-home test becomes available. 'Our technology once developed, can reduce the time of diagnosis dramatically from years to minutes. 'Technologies are being developed that claim to be 'at-home' tests for endometriosis, but in fact they are developing ways to collect samples for laboratories to test.' Dr Pan also noted that with further testing and funding, he and his team intend to make the test accessible to people of all incomes. Furthermore, he also hopes to integrate the tests into period pads, making it possible to discreetly and conveniently monitor HMGB1 levels this way at home too. He said: 'It is our goal to [eventually] provide the kits directly to the public, at a reasonable price point, so women can do the test at home and share the results with their doctors, who will offer diagnoses and advice about next steps. 'We are looking at a couple of years of effort at this point. The team is actively looking for funding and partners to further develop the test. With funding, this timeline can be reduced in my opinion. '

Are 7,000 steps a day enough to see health benefits?
Are 7,000 steps a day enough to see health benefits?

Medical News Today

time2 hours ago

  • Medical News Today

Are 7,000 steps a day enough to see health benefits?

A lot of people focus on getting 10,000 steps a day for its purported health benefits. A new study says that walking for only 7,000 steps a day can help reduce a person's risk for heart disease, type 2 diabetes, dementia, cancer, depression, and all-cause mortality. Scientists also discovered that walking around 4,000 steps a day still offers more health benefits than people with very low activity and about 2,000 steps a the last few years, there has been an emphasis placed on accumulating 10,000 steps a day to stay healthy. Many people use fitness trackers such as Fitbits, Garmin smartwatches, or Apple Watches, or smartphone apps like Google Fit or Apple Health to track their daily steps. Past research has linked walking at least 10,000 steps a day to a reduced risk for cardiovascular disease, type 2 diabetes, dementia, obesity, and mental health issues. Now, a new study recently published in the journal The Lancet Public Health says that walking for only 7,000 steps a day can help reduce a person's risk for heart disease, type 2 diabetes, dementia, cancer, depression, and all-cause mortality. Scientists also discovered that walking around 4,000 steps a day still offers more health benefits than people with very low activity and about 2,000 steps a focus on daily steps? For this study, researchers conducted a meta-analysis of studies conducted between 2014 to 2025 from 35 cohorts from PubMed and EBSCO CINAHL — including more than 16,000 adult participants — to look for correlations between step counts and eight specific outcomes: all-cause mortalitycancercardiovascular diseasecognitive outcomesfallsmental health outcomesphysical functiontype 2 diabetes'While we already know physical activity benefits health, public guidelines focus on total minutes of moderate-to-vigorous activity per week, usually 150 to 300 minutes,' Melody Ding, PhD, professor in the Sydney School of Public Health, Faculty of Medicine and Health at The University of Sydney in Australia, and corresponding author of this study, explained to Medical News Today. 'However, many people track their activity by steps, a simple and accessible metric, but the popular 10,000-steps-a-day goal isn't actually based on solid evidence. Our review sought to clarify how many steps per day are linked to meaningful health benefits,' she said. Walking 7,000 steps per day lowers 7 types of health risksUpon analysis, researchers found that study participants who walked about 7,000 steps each day were associated with a lowered risk for: all-cause mortality by 47%cancer by 6%cardiovascular disease by 25% dementia by 38%depression by 22%falls by 28%type 2 diabetes by 14%'This study is important because step-counting devices are becoming so widely available that the general public wants to know what they should aim for,' Ding said. 'We know physical activity is beneficial for health, but it is generally harder for the general public to track how many minutes of activities they do every day (because the activities can be of short bouts and be incidental), therefore, it is critical for us to provide such needed evidence. The finding is important for informing future health guidelines and physical activity promotion strategies, setting goals and targets for individuals, etc..' she 4,000 vs. 2,000 steps per dayAdditionally, Ding and her team found that study participants who only achieved a modest step count of about 4,000 steps per day still had better health outcomes than participants who had very low activity at about 2,000 steps a day. 'Increasing step counts from 2,000 to 4,000 or 5,000 is still associated [with] health benefits, even if one doesn't achieve 7,000,' Ding explained. 'It is important, particularly for motivating those who are extremely inactive.' 'Any increase in daily steps, even modest ones like 4,000 steps, delivers health benefits compared to very low activity levels. When possible, targeting around 7,000 steps per day can substantially reduce risks for many chronic diseases and adverse health outcomes.'— Melody Ding, PhD'Higher step counts beyond 7,000 may add extra benefits, but the improvement rate slows,' Ding added. 'Still, if you're already very active and consistently hitting 10,000+ steps, keep it up — there's no need to cut back.' A more achievable daily step goal MNT spoke with Nissi Suppogu, MD, a board certified cardiologist and medical director of the Women's Heart Center at MemorialCare Heart & Vascular Institute at Long Beach Medical Center in Long Beach, CA, about this commented that this study is looking at overall steps — not necessarily steps during exercise, but steps throughout the day — making it an even easier target to achieve. 'Understanding the role of physical activity in health outcomes plays an important role in motivating patients to do something entirely on their own,' she explained. 'We need to continue to empower the patients with knowledge and evidence about physical activity. Physical activity, or steps in this case, is something they can do at home, in their yard, on their street, in the office, by a park or path. They don't have to make time or pay to go to a gym. There are no excuses. All you need to do is just get up and move!' The new daily walking goal'Understanding that a modest 2,000 steps a day affects their health and every additional step to getting to 7,000 steps daily yields significant benefits for several health outcomes. That knowledge can affect their attitude, as 7,000 steps seems more achievable than 10,000 steps daily — a magic number for health benefits when really it has no significant clinical evidence to support this pervasive claim.' — Nissi Suppogu, MDActivity does not have to be overly strenuous to be beneficialMNT also spoke with Kanwar Kelley, MD, JD, a triple board certified in otolaryngology head and neck surgery (ENT), obesity medicine and lifestyle medicine, and co-founder and CEO of Side Health in Orinda, CA, about this research.'This study confirms what we have been recommending, that physical activity is important for overall longevity and health,' Kelley said. 'It also confirms that the activity does not have to be overly strenuous. We can observe benefits and decrease risk from participating in activities that do not require specialized equipment or a gym membership.' 'The more we can reinforce the message, the better,' he continued. 'Conducting this type of research enables everyone, from individuals to medical practitioners and lawmakers, to develop treatment plans and programs centered on these lifestyle interventions.''Researching a variety of activities will allow individuals to choose from different physical activities and remove barriers to participation. When research shows the significant benefits of physical activity on longevity, it raises overall awareness of just how important it is to our overall health span,' Kelley added. 'This study provides evidence that there is a dose-dependent relationship with physical activity (walking in this case). There were some differences in how much different populations would benefit from the prescribed 7,000 steps. Identifying specific step ranges can help create customized care plans tailored to a person's age, health, and physical fitness. However, there is a benefit from any increase in physical activity and it should continue to be recommended for all populations.' — Kanwar Kelley, MD, JD

DOWNLOAD THE APP

Get Started Now: Download the App

Ready to dive into a world of global content with local flavor? Download Daily8 app today from your preferred app store and start exploring.
app-storeplay-store