Abstract: The present invention relates to a predictive diagnostic method for identifying whether a patient will develop metabolic syndrome and/or type-2 diabetes in the future. In particular, the invention relates to a method for identifying a subject which has a risk for developing metabolic syndrome and/or type-2 diabetes, wherein the method comprises (a) analyzing (i.e. determining/measuring/quantifying) in a sample obtained from a test subject the amount of miR-122; and (b) identifying (i.e. detecting) a subject, which has a risk for developing metabolic syndrome and/or type-2 diabetes, wherein an increased amount of miR-122 as compared to the amount of miR-122 of a healthy reference population indicates a risk for developing metabolic syndrome and/or type-2 diabetes. Another aspect of the invention relates to a method for monitoring the therapeutic success during the treatment of metabolic syndrome and/or type-2 diabetes, wherein the method comprises (a) analyzing (i.e.