A new study from the German Centre for Diabetes Research suggests that people with a positive family history of type 2 diabetes have an increased risk for prediabetes.
The research, published online in the journal of the European Association for the Study of Diabetes, Diabetologia, analysed data from 8106 European individuals without diabetes, who were attending four centres across Germany. In total, 5482 people were reported to have normal blood glucose levels and 2624 people were found to have prediabetes, which was defined as impaired glucose tolerance (IGT) and/or impaired fasting glucose (IFG). The effect of having at least one first degree relative with diabetes on the incidence of prediabetes was analysed using multivariable logistic regression models.
German researchers found that a family history of type 2 diabetes was associated with a 40% increase in the risk of developing prediabetes. This risk was reduced to 26% after adjustment for age, sex and BMI.
Interestingly, the relationship between a positive family history of type 2 diabetes and prediabetes was only observed in non-obese individuals who had a BMI under 30 kg/m2, which may suggest that the presence of other risk factors such as obesity could overshadow the risk conveyed by having a family history of the condition.
Fritsche and colleagues, study authors, said: “Our data suggest that a family history of diabetes is associated with prediabetes in non-obese rather than in obese individuals. This might indicate the effect of family history on prediabetes becomes readily measurable only when not overshadowed by strong risk factors such as obesity.”
They continued: “We found that family history is an important risk factor for prediabetes, especially for combined IGT and IFG. Its relevance seems to be more evident in the non-obese.”
