Scientists have found a new way to use molecular “signatures” from people with obesity to predict risk of developing diabetes and cardiovascular disease.
The research, led by Amalio Telenti at Scripps Research, shows that predictors of future diabetes and cardiovascular disease for a person with obesity can be found among their body’s metabolites – molecules that we produce as we live, breathe and eat.
Using cutting edge technologies, the scientists were able to assess the relationship between disease risk and the “metabolome” – a person’s collection of hundreds of metabolites, identifying specific signatures that predicted higher risk, according to results published in Cell Metabolism.
The researchers found 49 metabolites with a strong association to body mass index – an indicator of obesity. By looking at these metabolite levels, scientists could predict a person’s obesity status with an 80% to 90% accuracy rate.
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