A blood test that reveals if someone is at risk of diabetes at least a decade before symptoms appear has been developed.
By measuring levels of five markers in the blood, doctors are able to predict the onset of type 2 diabetes.
It could act as an early warning for those most at risk – giving them time to improve their diet or change their lifestyles.
Dr Thomas Wang, who developed the test, said: ‘These findings could provide insight into metabolic pathways that are altered very early in the process leading to diabetes.
‘They also raise the possibility that, in selected individuals, these measurements could identify those at greatest risk of developing diabetes so that early preventative measures could be instituted.’
Diabetes occurs when the pancreas is unable to produce enough insulin – the hormone that controls blood sugar – or when its insulin does not work properly.
Dr Wang and colleagues from the Massachusetts General Hospital looked at historic blood samples taken from 189 diabetics before they developed symptoms of the disease and compared them to blood from 189 healthy people.
After measuring levels of 61 metabolites – by-products of metabolism – they discovered five amino acids that were higher in the people who developed diabetes.
Some of these markers had previously been shown to be higher in people with obesity or insulin resistance.
When the researchers looked at people most likely to develop type 2 diabetes – such as those who are overweight or who have a family history – they found that those with the highest levels of the markers were up to five times more likely to get the disease than those with the lowest levels. The results are published in the journal Nature Medicine.
Victoria King, head of research at Diabetes UK, said early diagnosis and effective management was crucial to reduce the risk of complications such as heart disease, stroke, kidney failure and blindness.
‘This research could lead to ways to help us identify those at risk, as well as giving us new insights into how and why type 2 diabetes develops,’ she said.
Around two million Britons have type 2 diabetes, the kind linked to being overweight in middle age. Another 700,000 are thought to suffer without realising it.
By David Derbyshire
Daily Mail