Genes, Waist Fat and Diabetes Risk

Eurekalert has this interesting post on a study that found that waist fat may not increase the risk of diabetes if a person has genetics that protect them from the risks.  The study is here, and a sample from the news item:

...surprising new findings from the University of Virginia School of Medicine suggest that naturally occurring variations in our genes can lead some people to store fat at the waist but also protect them from diabetes. 

The unexpected discovery provides a more nuanced view of the role of obesity in diabetes and related health conditions. It also could pave the way for more personalized medicine – treatments tailored to the individual. For example, doctors might prioritize weight loss for patients whose genes put them at increased risk but place less emphasis on it for patients with protective gene variants, the researchers say.

Cheers, 

Colin