Genetic Testing for Type 2 Diabetes in High-Risk Children: the Case for Primordial Prevention

Abstract

Extensive research now demonstrates that lifestyle modification can significantly lower risk of developing type 2 diabetes (T2D) in high-risk adults. In children, the evidence for lifestyle modification is not as robust, but the rapidly rising rate of obesity in children coupled with the substantial difficulty in changing behaviors later in life illuminates the need to implement prevention efforts early in the life course of children. Genetic data can now be used early in the life course to identify children at high-risk of developing T2D before traditional clinical measures can detect the presence of prediabetes; a metabolic condition associated with obesity that significantly increases risk for developing T2D. Such early detection of risk may enable the promotion of “primordial prevention” in which parents implement behavior change for their at risk children. Young children with genetic risk are a novel target population. Here we review the literature on genetic testing for prevention as it relates to chronic diseases and specifically use T2D as a model. We discuss the history of primordial prevention, the need for primordial prevention of T2D and the role genetic testing has in primordial prevention of high-risk families.