Diabetes New immunotherapy and prevention of healthier obesity

Will diabetes be prevented in the near future??

According to the German Center for Diabetes Research e.V. (DZD), there are around 500,000 new cases of diabetes every year. Today (May 9, 2018) this year's Diabetes Congress of the German Diabetes Association (DDG) in Berlin starts under the motto "Science and Clinical Progress - Together into the Future". The DZD and other institutions are presenting the latest advances in diabetes research at the congress. Here are some important points summarized.

The DZD team will be presenting current highlights of their research at the Diabetes Congress. These include new approaches to prevent Type 1 and Type 2 diabetes. Among other things, a new immunotherapy should prevent at-risk children and adolescents from developing type 1 diabetes. The scientists also present a new prevention method for type 2 diabetes, which occurs as a result of obesity (obesity). One study showed that many obese people fail to achieve and maintain a healthy body weight. The new diabetes prevention is therefore aimed at a healthier form of obesity.

A new immunotherapy for children and adolescents should prevent the onset of type 1 diabetes in the future. (Image: S.Kobold / fotolia.com)

Fight type 1 diabetes from the onset

"Type 1 diabetes is the most common metabolic disease in childhood and adolescence," reports the DZD in a press release to the Diabetes Congress. Therefore, a misdirected immune response to insulin at the onset of development of type 1 diabetes is usually crucial. A new immunotherapy is now intended to prevent the metabolic disease breaks out.

How does the new immunotherapy work??

Children who are at increased risk of developing type 1 diabetes receive a small amount of insulin powder daily at a meal. According to DZD, the immune system will be trained over time to accept the body's own insulin. At 12 o'clock on 12 May, the researchers will present the new immunotherapy for the first time at the congress.

Type 2 diabetes: new prevention through healthy obesity

The DZD reports that almost every third person worldwide is obese. This also results in a steady increase in the associated diseases such as diabetes, hypertension, heart attack or stroke. Although most people are aware of the associated health risks, only a portion of those affected succeed in achieving and maintaining a safe weight. The researchers have therefore developed a new prevention method that focuses on a healthier type of obesity.

Metabolically favorable obesity

The DZD's research has shown that many obese people shy away from the required weight loss. For this reason, according to the experts, a metabolically more favorable obesity is a worthwhile first therapeutic goal. Individually-tailored preventive therapy aims to reach a state of obesity-threatening diabetes that is still overweight but associated with reduced health risks.

Study as a basis

The basis for the new prevention is a study recently published in the scientific journal "The Lancet". From this it can be seen that even a moderate weight loss is sufficient to achieve a metabolically more favorable condition, which carries fewer health risks. This transition can be supported by life interventions. These include, for example, a diet change on Mediterranean diets that have been shown to bring cardiovascular benefits independent of body fat.

Unhealthy diet changes the genome

The DZD refers to recent studies, which show that unhealthy diet can change important switching points in the genome. These changes can even be passed on to the next generation. At the congress, the researchers report which epigenetic changes can lead to obesity and diabetes.

Holistic concepts

The new prevention approaches and therapies from basic research are aimed at personalized medical strategies that require detailed knowledge of genetics and metabolic pathways. A complex interplay of genetic, nutritional and motivational aspects aims to stem the disease. (Vb)