Latest news with #PolygenicRiskScore
Hans India
4 days ago
- Health
- Hans India
Indian genetics demand tailored obesity solutions, finds new global study led by CSIR-CCMB
A recent international study led by the Centre for Cellular and Molecular Biology (CSIR-CCMB) in Hyderabad has revealed that lifestyle-based interventions or targeted nutrient supplementation could be more effective for Indians at genetic risk of obesity than generic global approaches. The research highlights a significant genetic variation in obesity risk between Indian and European populations, underlining the need for culturally and biologically relevant health strategies. The study, spearheaded by Dr. Giriraj Ratan Chandak and his team at CSIR-CCMB, forms part of a major global research initiative involving 600 scientists from over 500 institutions. Drawing on genetic data from more than 5 million individuals, including inputs from the GIANT consortium and 23andMe, the study explored how genetic and lifestyle factors combine to influence obesity. A key finding of the study was that the widely used Polygenic Risk Score (PRS)—a genetic test designed to predict obesity—performs more accurately in populations of European ancestry than in those with South Asian ancestry, including Indians. While many obesity-related gene variants identified in Europeans were also tested on Indian samples, most showed limited predictive power, reaffirming the unique nature of Indian genetic makeup. To dig deeper, the researchers analysed genome data from Indian individuals—both diabetics and non-diabetics—who have been monitored over the past two decades. They discovered a distinct pattern of central or abdominal obesity in Indians, unlike the more generalized obesity seen in Western populations. Interestingly, individuals with higher genetic risk for obesity responded better to lifestyle interventions like diet and exercise. However, they were also more prone to weight regain once those interventions ended. 'This finding mirrors earlier studies on height, where European genetic markers had limited applicability to Indians. It appears that diet, nutrition, and environment might play an equally, if not more, critical role in determining obesity in Indians,' said Dr. Chandak. Using Indian genomic data, the team developed a more region-specific PRS to model obesity risk and improve early detection, especially among children. The refined model can predict adulthood obesity by the age of five, making it twice as effective as older models. This breakthrough could enable early preventive measures among genetically vulnerable children, a move that could significantly reduce the burden of obesity-linked diseases such as diabetes and hypertension in India. 'This is not just a test. It's a predictive tool for proactive care,' said Assistant Professor Roelof Smit from the NNF Centre for Basic Metabolic Research at the University of Copenhagen and lead author of the global study, published in Nature Medicine. 'By identifying risk early, especially before lifestyle habits solidify, we can dramatically improve health outcomes.' The findings reiterate that while genetics do play a role, customised lifestyle strategies are critical for Indian populations. The future of obesity prevention in India may rest in precision medicine, where treatment plans are based not just on global data but on uniquely Indian insights.
India.com
23-07-2025
- Health
- India.com
Genetic Risk Of Obesity In Indians Differs From Europeans: Study Reveals Why Lifestyle Changes Work Better
Hyderabad: Lifestyle solutions or specific nutrient supplementation might yield better results for Indians with genetic risk of obesity, reveals a study. Many gene variants previously associated with obesity in Europeans do not affect Indians similarly, which resonates with a different pattern of obesity in Indians, according to the findings of the study by researchers at Centre for Cellular and Molecular Biology under Council of Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR-CCMB), Hyderabad. The study also revealed that Polygenic Risk Score (PSR) predicts obesity more accurately in people with European-like ancestry than in those with other ancestries, including Indians (South Asian ancestry) Researchers at CSIR-CCMB, led by Dr Giriraj Ratan Chandak, characterised the genomes of the Indian population. They included individuals with diabetes as well as those with normal blood glucose levels, who have been followed for nearly 20 years, providing a unique opportunity to investigate the genetic basis of obesity in Indians. Obesity is a grave problem in India and other parts of South Asia, given their incidences of diseases like diabetes, hypertension, and cardiovascular diseases. The pattern of obesity in India is notably different from that in Europe, with Indians tending to have more central (abdominal) obesity. Several obesity-associated genetic changes were identified and used to develop the PRS for Indians, effectively creating a 'virtual individual' to model obesity risk. This data from Indian samples has served as a representative for the South Asian population in the study. Through this data, the study's findings become more relevant for the Indian and South Asian populations. The scientists also examined the connection between a person's genetic risk of obesity and the impact of lifestyle weight loss interventions, such as diet and exercise. They discovered that individuals with a higher genetic risk of obesity responded better to interventions but also regained weight more quickly once the interventions ended. 'The observations made from this study are similar to the earlier results on height, where genetic variants identified in Europeans predicted lower risk in Indians, and environment-related modifications of genes play a larger role. It looks like lifestyle, diet and nutrition might be playing an equal or more important role in predicting obesity in Indians. So, for Indians, lifestyle solutions or specific nutrient supplementation in the background of genetic risk might yield better results,' said Dr Chandak. Earlier studies by Dr Chandak showed that the genetic basis of non-communicable diseases varies significantly between Indians and Europeans. The latest study by researchers at CSIR-CCMB is part of a global study. An international team of 600 researchers across 500 institutions drew on the largest and most diverse genetic dataset ever, including genetic data from the GIANT consortium and consumer DNA testing firm 23andMe. This provided access to genetic information from over 5 million people from different countries, including India. Using this data, the researchers developed a genetic test called PRS that predicts adulthood obesity in early childhood. This discovery could help identify children and adolescents already at higher genetic risk of developing obesity, who could benefit from targeted preventative strategies such as lifestyle interventions at a younger age. This score is twice as effective as the previous best test at predicting a person's risk of developing obesity. 'What makes the score so powerful is its ability to predict, around the age of five, whether a child is likely to develop obesity in adulthood, well before other risk factors start to shape their weight later in childhood. Intervening at this point can have a huge impact,' says Assistant Professor Roelof Smit from the NNF Centre for Basic Metabolic Research (CBMR) at the University of Copenhagen and lead author of the research that was published in the journal Nature Medicine.
