Rare genetic variants confer largest increase in type 2 diabetes risk seen to date

[Northerner]

Scientists at the University of Cambridge have identified rare genetic variants -- carried by one in 3,000 people -- that have a larger impact on the risk of developing type 2 diabetes than any previously identified genetic effect.

Type 2 diabetes is thought to be driven in part by inherited genetic factors, but many of these genes are yet unknown. Previous large-scale studies have depended on efficient 'array genotyping' methods to measure genetic variations across the whole genome. This approach typically does a good job at capturing the common genetic differences between people, though individually these each confer only small increases in diabetes risk.

Recent technical advances have allowed more comprehensive genetic measurement by reading the complete DNA sequences of over 20,000 genes that code for proteins in humans. Proteins are essential molecules that enable our bodies to function. In particular, this new approach has allowed for the first time a large-scale approach to study the impact of rare genetic variants on several diseases, including type 2 diabetes.

Rare genetic variants confer largest increase in type 2 diabetes risk seen to date

Scientists have identified rare genetic variants - carried by one in 3,000 people - that have a larger impact on the risk of developing type 2 diabetes than any previously identified genetic effect.

www.sciencedaily.com

 

[pm133]

That report states the following:
Around 1 in 3,000 individuals carries such a GIGYF1 genetic variant. Their risk of developing type 2 diabetes is around 30%, compared to around 5% in the wider population. In addition, people who carried these variants had other signs of more widespread ageing, including weaker muscle strength and more body fat.

So if my arithmetic is correct (I'm not so great with stats so someone can correct me if they spot an error), 22,000 people out of 65 million have this gene meaning we should expect 6600 cases of type 2 due to this gene.

It's interesting research but it's worth keeping in mind that we have somewhere around 4.2 million type 2 cases in the UK.
The big, sexy headline figure of 30% needs to be put into context that it's essentially 6600 out of 4.2 million people with type 2 diabetes. An almost insignificant factor.

This is why I don't trust anyone throwing statistics around.

The key to solving type 2 diabetes in my opinion is going to be in the diet we eat and the lifestyles we choose and the evidence for that is really overwhelming. I'm pretty sure we didn't have this number of cases 100 years ago.

Less sure about type 1 but I wouldn't be surprised if our diet was a major contributor to that as well somehow. The virus idea still holds some promise too I think - especially for those who have suddenly developed more than one auto-immune disease at the same time.

 

[mikeyB]

I developed diabetes (diagnosed as Type 2) around four months before developing Ulcerative Colitis, due to which I was hardly absorbing any food and vitamins, and after which I was correctly diagnosed as T1. A virus cause? Can’t remember. Those two were the first of several autoimmune conditions I now have. My older brother also suffered severe Ulcerative Colitis aged 17, but hasn’t had a relapse since. Genes or a virus? My mother was T1 too, so that suggests genes.