Children as young as eight showing signs of diabetes
EARLY signs of diabetes can be found in children as young as eight, suggesting genes could significantly influence the chances of developing the disease, a study has found.
Low levels of ‘good’ HDL cholesterol in childhood could be the first signal that someone is likely to develop type 2 diabetes decades later, scientists say.
And knowing who is most at risk from a young age could help prevent the disease and its complications in later life.
Diabetes is typically diagnosed when a person’s blood sugar levels become too high. But experts say by this stage the disease is already well established. Scientists wanted to see how early in life the effects of being more susceptible to adult diabetes become visible.
The study tracked over 4,000 people from the ‘Children of the 90s’ project by the University of Bristol.
They used genetic information and blood samples taken when participants were aged eight, 16, 18 and 25 to identify patterns specific to early stages of type 2 diabetes development.
They found reduced levels of HDL could be seen in children as young as eight. Other tell-tale signs – including raised levels of ‘bad’ LDL cholesterol, inflammation and amino acids – were also evident by ages 16 and 18.
This did not mean that they already had adult diabetes, but showed subtle differences in the metabolism of young people who were more prone to developing it later in life, they said. Lead author Dr Joshua Bell said: ‘We knew that diabetes doesn’t develop overnight. What we didn’t know is how early in life the first signs of disease activity become visible.
‘Diabetes is most common in older age, but we see signs of disease susceptibility very early on – about 50 years before it’s usually diagnosed.
‘Knowing what these early signs look like widens our window of opportunity to intervene much earlier and stop diabetes before it becomes harmful.’
Around 4.8million Britons have diabetes – the majority type 2 – and rates have doubled in 20 years in line with rising obesity.
One in five taken to hospital with coronavirus are diabetic and studies have shown those with type 2 are twice as likely to die.
Other complications include heart attacks, strokes, kidney failure and amputations, all of which heap pressure on the NHS. Scientists
say the findings support evidence that genes – as well as lifestyle – play an important role in developing diabetes.
Earlier diagnosis can help with targeted preventative measures, such as diet and exercise, for those most at risk, they say.
Dr Bell said: ‘These findings help reveal the biology of how diabetes unfolds and what features may be targetable much earlier on to prevent the onset of disease and its complications.
‘This is important because we know that the harmful effects of blood glucose, such as on heart disease, are not exclusive to people with diagnosed diabetes but extend to a smaller degree to much of the population.’
‘More opportunity to intervene’