Cutting out the Fat....

The relationship between fatty foods and developing type 2 diabetes

As levels of obesity continue to rise, posing as a serious threat to public health, conditions of type 2 diabetes has also increased.  Evidence has suggested a strong link between obesity and developing type 2 diabetes, however, scientists have now discovered how a high fat diet can cause type 2 diabetes.  Researchers believe this discovery will not only help explain the relationship between fatty foods and obesity, but it may lead to finding a cure for the disease.   

This week the Daily Mail and BBC Health News reported the findings.

The study published in the peer-reviewed journal Nature Medicine, was carried out by researchers from the University of California and the RIKEN Advanced Science Institute in Japan.  The study sought to investigate whether a high-fat diet might contribute to causing type 2 diabetes, by looking at its effect on the insulin producing cells of the pancreas on mice, and on the response of cells to insulin.  The scientists investigated their findings further on human pancreatic cells in the laboratory.

The Science bit

In type 2 diabetes, the cells in the pancreas that normally produce insulin – called beta cells – gradually stop working over time.  These cells respond to increased levels of sugar in the blood by producing insulin, but this ability is lost in type 2 diabetes.  The cells of the body become less responsive to insulin (insulin resistance) and fail to take up the sugar in the blood stream.  This then causes high levels of sugar circulating around the body, which is detrimental to cells and tissues.   

The Research

Scientists looked at what effect a high-fat diet had on the activity of certain genes and proteins in the cells that are thought to help the beta cells function. Particular focus was placed on a protein called GnT-4a glycosyltransferase.  In healthy pancreatic cells this protein helps in the detection and response to glucose in the blood stream.

The researchers found that when they fed mice a high-fat diet, the genes encoding the GnT-4a protein and one of the glucose sensing proteins (called Slc2a2) became less active in the mice’s pancreatic cells.

The scientists also genetically engineered mice to have a form of GnT-4a that was always active in the beta cells. They then looked at how these mice responded to the high-fat diet.  The theory was that if dietary fat had its effects by stopping these proteins working, then these genetically engineered mice should be less susceptible to the effects of a high-fat diet.

The Findings

It was found that high-fat diets in mice affected the insulin-producing cells, reducing their ability to correctly respond to the presence of glucose.  As such, there were high levels of glucose circulating in the bloodstream and a reduced ability of certain tissues to respond to insulin and take up sugar.   Tests on pancreatic tissue from people with type 2 diabetes suggested that similar changes may be occurring in humans.

However, in mice genetically engineered to have GnT-4a work constantly in the beta cells, the high-fat diet had less of an effect on blood sugar levels and the ability of the cells to respond to insulin, even though the mice became fat.  This enhanced understanding of the effects of fat on pancreatic cells, provides a possible biological explanation as to why high fat diets can lead to type 2 diabetes. Researchers believe this will also aid the development of possible new treatments for type 2 diabetes.

However, human research is a lengthy process and finding a cure for type 2 diabetes may take years.  Thus, the best current advice to prevent type 2 diabetes, is to maintain a healthy weight, do exercise and eat a healthy diet.  For further information on this research please visit NHS Choices

What You Can Do?

At RSPH Training Solutions we take health seriously and we believe that through education and training, people can learn to make better lifestyle choices and positively influence people around them.  The level 2 Award in Understanding Health Improvement provides knowledge and understanding of the benefits of good health and well being, and of the barriers to making a change of lifestyle.  This qualification is specifically designed for people who work with the public in a healthcare environment and those who have an interest in developing public health skills.  For further information on the course please click here or contact Nicolette Boustaoui   or by phone 020 7265 7325.