Diabetes risk in Asians assessed

Researchers say more body fat could increase the risk of diabetes

A "ground-breaking" study aims to answer why some people are more likely to develop diabetes.

Researchers from the University of Glasgow will investigate why Asians are four times more likely to develop diabetes than Europeans.

They are looking for 50 volunteers to take part in the study.

Professor Naveed Sattar said: "Doctors know that South Asians experience more than four fold higher rates of diabetes, the key question is why?"

Prof Sattar said South Asians develop diabetes at younger ages and at lower body weights than Europeans in the same community.

Metabolism differences

He said: "This is likely to be due to differences in their metabolism.

"For a given body weight, South Asians do carry more body fat than Europeans ... but this excess fat does not explain all of their increased risk of developing diabetes.

"This study will investigate for the first time whether ethnic differences in the ability of muscle to burn fat can help to explain why South Asians have higher rates of diabetes."

Dr Jason Gill, from the university's neurosciences and biomedical systems department, said: "This work can help guide future research, investigating how to reduce this increased risk though lifestyle changes.

"It may also help better targeting and development of drugs to prevent and treat diabetes in this high-risk population."

Researchers are looking for non-smoking, healthy men aged 18 to 40 with South Asian or European parents.