Blood test could identify children at risk of obesity-related conditions, lipid analysis suggests

Blood test identifies new lipid molecules in children, beyond cholesterol, to predict obesity-related health risks early.

A blood test could help identify children at risk of conditions such as diabetes and heart disease because of being obese, by looking beyond cholesterol and assessing a “broader range of lipid molecules,” according to a new study.

Lipids have been traditionally thought to be fatty acids in the body -- either 'good' or 'bad' cholesterol, or triglycerides, which circulate in the bloodstream and are the most common type of fats in the body.

However, the researchers, including those from the King's College London, UK, have found that the picture is more complex.

They analysed blood samples of over 1,300 obese, overweight and normal-weight children and identified new lipid molecules which contribute to health risks like blood pressure, but are not only related with a child's weight.

The findings, published in the journal Nature Medicine, contest the common idea that cholesterol is a leading cause of obesity-related complications in children, including fatty liver, the team said.

They suggested that the blood test could help doctors detect early signs of the disease in children and direct them towards the right treatment.

“For decades, scientists have relied on a classification system for lipids that have split them into good and bad cholesterol, but now with a simple blood test we can assess a much broader range of lipid molecules that could serve as vital early warning signs for illness,” lead author Cristina Legido-Quigley, a group leader in Systems Medicine at the King’s College, London, said.