Even with diabetes genes, changing just one habit can increase insulin secretion ability

A study from Seoul National University Hospital found that even if a person is not diabetic but is genetically at high risk, their insulin secretion ability tends to be low, but practicing at least one of the five healthy lifestyle habits (diet, exercise, quitting smoking, weight management, sufficient sleep) can improve insulin secretion ability.

 

On the 23rd, a research result was announced analyzing the long-term changes in insulin secretion capacity according to the genetic risk of diabetes, based on the DNA information of 6,311 individuals registered in the community diabetes cohort and followed up seven times between 2001 and 2016. The study was conducted by Professor Kwak Su-heon of the Department of Endocrinology at Seoul National University Hospital and Researcher Lee Hyun-seok of the Genome Medicine Research Institute at Seoul National University.

Adult diabetes (Type 2 diabetes) is a disease characterized by a decreased ability to secrete insulin, which regulates blood sugar, leading to abnormally high blood sugar levels. As of 2022, it ranked eighth among causes of death in the country.

 

Therefore, even if a person does not currently have diabetes, various studies are being conducted to predict the risk of developing diabetes and to manage it proactively.

 

In particular, the polygenic risk score, which quantitatively expresses the genetic risk of diabetes, is a key predictor for the development of diabetes. According to existing studies, it is also associated with insulin secretion capacity. However, there have been no studies analyzing this score in relation to long-term changes in insulin secretion capacity.

 

The research team conducted genomic analysis on adults over 30 without diabetes to identify the presence of diabetes-related gene mutations, then calculated a polygenic risk score and classified individuals into high risk (top 20%), medium risk, and low risk (bottom 20%) groups based on this score.

 

According to the oral glucose tolerance test (measuring blood sugar two hours after fasting and glucose intake), individuals in the genetic high-risk group had lower insulin secretion capacity. Compared to the low-risk group, the moderate-risk and high-risk groups had insulin secretion capacities that were 14% and 25% lower, respectively.

 

Additionally, based on the comparison of the oral glucose tolerance test results over 14 years, insulin secretion capacity gradually decreased in all groups, but the decline was most pronounced in the high-risk group. In particular, the rate of decrease in insulin secretion capacity in the high-risk group was 1.83 times faster than in the low-risk group. In other words, the long-term changes in insulin secretion capacity were determined by genetic factors.

The research team compared the rate of decline in insulin secretion ability based on the polygenic risk score and the practice of five healthy lifestyle habits (healthy diet, exercise, smoking cessation, weight management, sufficient sleep). As a result, healthy lifestyle habits helped delay the decline in insulin secretion ability across all genetic risk groups. In particular, for those in the high genetic risk group, each additional healthy lifestyle practice was associated with a 4.4% improvement in insulin secretion ability after 10 years.

 

Based on these results, the research team explained that using a multi-gene risk score, they can identify individuals at high risk of diabetes who experience a rapid decline in insulin secretion capacity.

In addition, it was emphasized that ☆☆ lifestyle habit improvements play an important role in preventing or delaying the onset of diabetes, so those at high risk should strictly manage their lifestyle habits.

 

Professor Kwak Su-heon said, "The results of this study can be used to screen patients who are expected to have severe insulin deficiency after the onset of diabetes based on genetic information and to intervene early. We hope that the development of gene-based precision medicine in the field of diabetes treatment will enable personalized prevention and management of diabetes."

 

The research results were published in the latest issue of the authoritative journal in the field of diabetes, 'Diabetes Care'.

Reporter Kim Su-jin sjpen@wowtv.co.kr

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