Scientists find six new genes linked to diabetes

Scientists have found six new genes linked to type 2 diabetes, a discovery that will improve understanding of how the disease develops.

Each of the disease variants of the genes raises the risk of developing diabetes by only a small amount, but scientists say the combined impact of the collection of genes could be powerful, and the discovery could help develop new forms of prevention and treatment. One of the genes has also been linked to prostate cancer.

Diabetes affects 246 million people worldwide and is expected to affect some 380 million by 2025, according to the International Diabetes Federation website.