An increase in the levels of the following proteins was associated with higher odds of having diabetes (top ten findings): cathepsin D (CTSD), retinal dehydrogenase 1, alpha-l-iduronidase (IDUA), hydroxyacid oxidase 1 (HAO1), galectin-4 (GAL-4), growth/differentiation factor 15 (GDF-15), IL-1ra protein, cathepsin O (CTSO), sialic acid-binding Ig-like lectin 7 and plasminogen activator inhibitor 1. This evidence concerns the gene GDF15 and diabetes mellitus.