Research promises to predict obesity by a simple blood test

Rama Kant Mishra November 05, 2008

This study opens doors to new tests to identify millions of people who are at risk. According to a new research from the Monell Center, the degree of change in blood triglyceride levels following a fatty meal may indicate susceptibility to diet-induced obesity. This finding open doors to new methods of identifying people, including children, who are at risk for becoming obese.

"These findings suggest we may someday be able to use a simple blood test to identify people at risk for obesity. The ability to identify more susceptible individuals would make it possible to target obesity-prevention resources on those who need them most,” reiterated by senior author Mark Friedman, PhD, a behavioral physiologist at Monell.

Triglycerides are a form of fat that is transported in the blood and stored in the body's fat tissues. They are found in foods and also are manufactured by the body.

The obesity epidemic globally is thought to be caused in part by consumption of a diet containing high fat and carbohydrates, which accelerates weight gain. This propensity to gain weight and become obese while consuming a high-fat diet is at least partially controlled by genes, with some individuals gaining more than others while eating the same diet.

The result published in the International Journal of Obesity by Friedman and lead author Hong Ji, PhD, studied rats for vulnerability to diet-induced obesity by measuring the increase in blood triglyceride levels following a single high-fat meal. They then fed the rats a diet high in fat over the next four weeks. The researchers were able to predict which animals would become obese over the four-week period by examining the earlier metabolic response to the high-fat meal: the smaller the triglyceride change, the greater the weight gains.

The differences in weight gain associated with high-fat diets indicate that genetically-determined factors also contribute to obesity. It is also been that these genetic factors are related to the body's ability to burn fat. Now its important to note that a better understanding of how this relates to blood triglyceride levels helps understand obesity.

There currently are no simple biomarkers for predicting susceptibility to diet-induced obesity, and thus no clinical tests that assist physicians in identifying those at risk for becoming obese. The current findings suggest that a change in blood triglyceride levels may someday be used as such a tool.