Project summary
People from Black African, African Caribbean and South Asian backgrounds are at a higher risk of developing type 2 diabetes and some of its complications than White people. Professor Daniel Cuthbertson will look at differences in body fat stores and insulin response among people from these ethnic groups to uncover biological factors that can contribute to type 2 risk. This could lead to tailored support and treatments to prevent and manage type 2 diabetes based on your ethnicity.
Background to research
Type 2 diabetes develops when the body can’t use insulin as it should, or doesn’t make enough insulin. People from Black African, African Caribbean and South Asian backgrounds are up to three times more likely to get type 2 diabetes compared to White people. They’re also more likely to develop the condition from a younger age, and to develop more severe diabetes complications, such as liver or heart conditions, than White people.
The reasons why these diabetes health inequalities exist are complex, with social, environmental and biological factors all playing a part. Based on previous research, Professor Daniel Cuthbertson has identified potential biological differences that could help explain why people of different ethnicities face different risks of type 2 diabetes and its complications:
(1) In South Asian people, body fat is stored differently, with more building up in and around important organs like the liver, pancreas, and heart. This makes it more difficult for insulin to work properly to lower blood sugar levels, while also increasing blood fat levels.
(2) Black African people, have fewer ‘antennae’ on their cells to pick up insulin’s signal. This makes the body less responsive to insulin.
Research aims
Professor Cuthbertson aims to better understand why people of South Asian and Black African heritage have a greater risk of type 2 diabetes, heart disease and liver disease, compared to white Europeans.
His team will study people from these ethnic groups side-by-side to confirm their theories. They will recruit 40 women from each ethnic group, as women are still underrepresented in diabetes studies.
Firstly, the team will study how people from different ethnic backgrounds change fats into energy in their bodies after eating by measuring their blood fat levels. They’ll also measure how much insulin people make and how their body’s respond to it and how the liver, compare results from each ethnic group.
Secondly, they’ll look more closely at the body fat stores of people from different ethnic groups. They’ll use MRI scans to map out the participants’ body fat patterns and see how this can affect the health of their organs.
Potential benefit to people with diabetes
We’re committed to improving our understanding of type 2 diabetes and tackling unacceptable and unfair health inequalities that exist. This study hopes to unravel biological differences that can help to explain why people from some ethnicities have a higher risk of type 2 diabetes and serious complications, like liver and heart disease. Knowing this could be the key to improving prevention and treatment for people with or at risk of type 2 from South Asian and Black African backgrounds, and moving away from a one-size-fits-all approach.
