A blood test that measures serum fats could predict whether weight loss will effectively manage blood sugar levels in pre-diabetic patients, a new study suggests. Pre-diabetics have elevated blood sugar levels but are not yet diabetic.
Researchers at the University of Sydney found that weight loss through dieting affects various blood fats differently. Changes in specific sphingolipids were linked to fasting blood sugar levels, while other fats impacted HbA1c, insulin, and insulin resistance.
The authors noted that six baseline bioactive sphingolipids were key predictors of changes in fasting plasma glucose. They also found that various lipid species, especially diacylglycerols and triglycerides, predicted clinical changes in hemoglobin A1c, insulin levels, and insulin resistance (HOMA-IR).
A low-energy, low-carb, fibre-rich diet is often recommended to pre-diabetics to normalise blood sugar levels. However, the researchers found that more than half of these individuals do not reach normal blood sugar levels despite following the diet.
The study, published in ‘The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition’, found that measuring specific fats in serum before weight loss can predict which types of blood sugar levels will improve after losing weight. "Our findings show that certain blood fats can indicate a person's likelihood of improving their blood sugar levels through weight loss," said lead author Yanfei (Jacob) Qi from the Centenary Institute.
The study analysed blood serum samples from 104 pre-diabetic participants before and after they followed an eight-week low-energy diet. During this period, the participants lost at least 8% of their body weight.
