23andMe Has a New Type 2 Diabetes Risk Report. Here ’s What to Know

Consumer genetics company 23andMe is broadening its health portfolio with a new report on consumers’ genetic risk of developing Type 2 diabetes. More than 30 million Americans have diagnosed or undiagnosed diabetes, according to the most recent federal data. The vast majority of these people — up to 95% — have Type 2 diabetes, meaning their bodies do not use insulin properly. Both Type 1 and Type 2 diabetes are related to family history and genetics, but Type 2 is also strongly associated with obesity, as well as lifestyle factors such as diet and exercise. The new 23andMe report estimates a customer’s percent chance of developing Type 2 diabetes, taking into account genetics, ethnicity and age. The goal, according to a release from the company, is to help customers learn about their genetic predisposition to Type 2 diabetes early enough to seek proactive medical care and make lifestyle changes that could prevent or delay the full onset of the disease, such as losing weight or eating more healthfully. Nonetheless, genetic risk only tells part of the story; someone with a genetic predisposition to a disease may never actually develop it, while someone who has no genetic risk but lives an unhealthy lifestyle may get a diagnosis. The company used research data from 2.5 million 23andMe customers to develop the report, which took into account more than 1,000 genetic variants to calculate a person’s genetic likelihood of developing Type 2 diabetes. Th...
Source: TIME: Health - Category: Consumer Health News Authors: Tags: Uncategorized Research Source Type: news