New test twice as effective as previous methods for predicting obesity

 Scientists have developed a new DNA-based tool capable of predicting a child's risk of developing obesity in adulthood.

The test, which analyses DNA from a blood sample, is thought to be twice as effective as previous methods and can identify risk before the age of five, allowing for targeted preventative strategies.

Published in Nature Medicine, the scientists’ research involved a vast genetic dataset of over five million people and can also predict how obese adults will respond to weight loss programmes.

The World Obesity Federation forecasts that over half the global population will be overweight or obese by 2035.

Despite its advancements, the new tool has limitations, such as being more accurate for people of European ancestry compared to those of African ancestry.