A new study found a novel link between lipids and disorders affecting children's metabolism. Researchers from King's College London say that this can help provide an early warning for several conditions such as type 2 diabetes and liver disease. The study was published in Nature Medicine.
Scientists have developed a blood test that uses lipids to identify children who are more susceptible to obesity-related problems, such as type 2 diabetes, liver and heart disease.
The researchers say that blood plasma testing machines already in use in hospitals could assist medical professionals in identifying early disease indicators in children more quickly and facilitate their access to appropriate treatment.
The findings say that the common idea is that cholesterol is a leading cause of complications related to obesity in children. They identify new lipid molecules that contribute to health risks like blood pressure but are not only correlated with a child's weight.
According to current evidence, using a technique associated with chemistry called mass spectrometry, estimates the thousands of different lipids present in the body, each with a separate function.
For the study, the researchers took a control sample of 1,300 children with obesity and assessed their blood lipids. Then, 200 of them were put on the HOLBAEK model for a year which is a lifestyle intervention popular in Denmark for people with obesity.
The researchers found that among the intervention group, lipid counts tied to diabetes risk, insulin resistance, and blood pressure decreased despite limited improvements in some children's BMI.
Dr Cristina Legido-Quigley, a group leader in Systems Medicine at King's College London, Head of Systems Medicine at the Steno Diabetes Centre Copenhagen (SDCC) and principal author, said, "For decades, scientists have relied on a classification system for lipids that have split them into good and bad cholesterol, but now with a simple blood test we can assess a much broader range of lipid molecules that could serve as vital early warning signs for illness.
"In the future, this has the potential to be an entirely new way to evaluate someone's personal risk of disease. By studying how to change lipid molecules in the body, we could even prevent metabolic diseases like diabetes altogether."
While obesity is a major risk factor for conditions like fatty liver disease, these measurements to treat children when they are at risk can be beneficial.
Dr Karolina Sulek, who participated in the study and performed analysis at the SDCC, said, "Early recognition of children at risk for these life-threatening diseases is crucial. The study provides strong evidence of the great need for obesity management and gives parents confidence to intervene more compassionately in their children's lives, helping them to lose weight."
(ANI inputs)
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