Researchers from Mass General Brigham and Albert Einstein College of Medicine have identified metabolites (small molecules found in blood generated through metabolism) associated with the risk of developing type 2 diabetes in the future, and have revealed genetic and lifestyle factors that may influence these metabolites. They also developed a metabolomic signature that predicts future risk of type 2 diabetes beyond traditional risk factors.

Their results are published in Nature Medicine.

In this study, researchers tracked 23,634 individuals with diverse ethnic backgrounds across 10 prospective cohorts with up to 26 years of follow-up. These individuals were initially free of type 2 diabetes. The team analyzed 469 metabolites in blood samples, as well as genetic, diet, and lifestyle data, to see how they relate to the risk of developing type 2 diabetes. Of the metabolites examined, 235 were found to be associated with a higher or lower risk of developing type 2 diabetes, 67 of which were new discoveries.