Scientists have identified a gene that could explain the gene, found in tests on obese mice, controls a protein called tomosyn-2 which acts as a brake on insulin secretion from the pancreas, the researchers also discovered.
Insulin is made and released by beta cells in the pancreas and regulates blood sugars.
Those with type 1 diabetes have too little insulin, while those with type 2 are insulin-resistant - both conditions potentially causing serious health problems if they are not treated.
Men have to gain less weight than women to develop type 2 diabetes, new research shows.
A study carried out by clinical academics at Glasgow University found men developed the disease at a lower Body Mass Index (BMI) than women.
This helps explain why men have higher rates of diabetes in many parts of the world.
Lead researcher Naveed Sattar, professor at the Institute of Cardiovascular & Medical Sciences, said being overweight was a major risk factor for developing type 2 diabetes. Other factors were age, ethnicity and genetics.
“Previous research has indicated that middle-aged men are at a higher risk of developing diabetes than women and one possible explanation is that men have to gain less weight than women to develop the condition,” he said.
“In other words, men appear to be at higher risk for diabetes.”.
Researchers analysed data from 51,920 men and 43,137 women in Scotland with diabetes.
The results showed the mean BMI at diabetes diagnosis in men was 31.83, but 33.69 in women and the difference was most marked at younger ages.
Prof. Sattar said the reasons why women might develop diabetes later than men could be linked to fat distribution as men carried more fat around their stomach and liver.
Type 2 diabetes is caused by too much sugar in the blood which occurs when the body’s ability to regulate sugar levels in several different organs becomes disturbed. The condition is linked to excess fat in some of these organs such as the liver and muscles.
Victoria King, Head of Research at Diabetes UK, said the results were “worrying”.
“Diabetes UK is calling on both men and women to reduce their chances of developing Type 2 diabetes by losing any excess weight, eating a healthy, balanced diet and by taking regular physical activity,” she said.
There are around 2.5 million people in the UK with type 2 diabetes.