> ## Content Index
> Fetch the complete content index at: https://www.foodconsumer.org/llms.txt
> Use this file to discover other available public pages before exploring further.

# PCRM Breaking Medical News: Genetic Connection to Diabetes Risk Overestimated
- URL: https://www.foodconsumer.org/genetic_connection_to_diabetes_risk_1102130943/
- Published: 2013-11-02T22:42:00.000Z
- Updated: 2026-09-15T14:01:46.000Z
- Description: A review of 23 studies in the American Journal of Epidemiology concluded that genetic testing predicts type 2 diabetes risk less usefully than conventional factors such as weight, age and gender, though it may still have a place for some, perhaps younger populations.
- Author: Food Consumer
- Tags: Disease, Health News, #vivvo-import

Genes are not as useful at determining type 2 diabetes risk as are traditional risk factors such as weight, age, and gender, according to a new review in this month’s issue of the *American Journal of Epidemiology.* Researchers analyzed data from 23 studies and determined that genetic testing may have a place for some people, perhaps younger populations, but that compared with conventional risk factors, genetic testing is not as useful as some had previously thought.

Some traditional risk factors for diabetes are easily mitigated with dietary and other lifestyle interventions. See PCRM’s resources at [PCRM.org/Diabetes](http://support.pcrm.org/site/R?i=3Y2zq8ZR1adb3MKna8aOyA&ref=foodconsumer.org).

Bao W, Hu FB, Rong S, et al. Predicting risk of type 2 diabetes mellitus with genetic risk models on the basis of established genome-wide association markers: a systematic review. *Am J Epidemiol*. 2013;178:1197-1207.