According to the study, men who live alone have fewer social contacts than women who live alone; this is probably why 56 percent of adult diabetes sufferers are men while 44 percent are women.
“High-risk groups for Type 2 diabetes should broaden their network and should be encouraged to make new friends, as well as become members of a club, such as a volunteer organization, sports club, or group discussion. As men living alone seem to be at a higher risk for the development of Type 2 diabetes, they should become recognized as a high-risk group in healthcare,” study co-author Dr. Miranda Schram, who is from Maastricht University, said.
“In addition, social network size and participation in social activities may eventually be used as indicators of diabetes risk,” Dr. Schram noted. (Related: Diabetes hits poor the hardest, report reveals.)
For instance, if you remove even just one person from a man's social network, their diabetes risk increases to 10 percent; the same kind of risk increases for women by 12 percent.
For her part, study lead author Stephanie Brinkhues said: “We are the first to determine the association of a broad range of social network characteristics – such as social support, network size, or type of relationships – with different stages of Type 2 diabetes.”
The findings of the study were published in the journal BMC Health.
Diabetes, and its correlating diseases
Addressing diabetes can be easy as pie, especially if you adhere to the diet and exercise regimen that your doctor prescribed. However, using insulin – especially if not properly administered, can cause you to suffer from extremely low blood glucose levels.
If you know what signs to watch out for, you can address this little setback. Among the early symptoms of hypoglycemia, or the sudden decrease in blood sugar levels, include rapid heartbeat, blurred vision, nervousness or anxiety, tingling or numbness in the lips or tongue, shakiness, sweating and chills, lightheadedness or dizziness, hunger and nausea, sleepiness, headaches, and weakness or fatigue.
More advanced symptoms of hypoglycemia include anger, stubbornness, or sadness, unconsciousness, confusion, including delirium, lack of coordination, nightmares or crying out during sleep, and seizures.
For more stories regarding one of the world's biggest silent killers, visit DiabetesScienceNews.com today.
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