Fewer Friends Equals Higher Diabetes Risk

People with few friends or social contacts, the socially isolated, are more likely to develop diabetes than are those with closer ties to friends and family, says a new study. This is the latest in a group of studies which have shown that loneliness is linked to a variety of physical and mental health problems. It's the first to show a direct link with diabetes, where others before have shown a link to diabetic outcomes.

We know that having friends and family close can improve the lifestyles and health of diabetics, including influencing how much they eat, exercise, and otherwise keep their disease in check. Now we know that having close friends and family can also mean a lower risk of getting diabetes in the first place.


The study, conducted by lead researchers in the Netherlands, examined 2,861 adults ranging in age from 40 to 75, with about half having no diabetes or pre-diabetes diagnosis. About 430 of those in the study were pre-diabetic, 4 percent were newly-diagnosed as diabetic, and 24 percent were already diagnosed as diabetic.

People without diabetes had more friends than did those with the disease.

On average, people who were diabetic had less than 8 friends or family members they regularly kept in contact with. Those without diabetes had an average of 11. “Currently, high-risk groups receive advice to become more physically active and eat healthier without any inquiries about their social situation,” said lead study author Stephanie Brinkhues, a researcher at Maastricht University in the Netherlands.

Every one-person reduction to a person's social network is associated with a 12 percent higher odds risk of newly-diagnosed diabetes for women and 10 percent higher odds for men. Those with diabetes were overall tied to smaller networks, with risks increasing as the network shrinks.


Household members were most important, it was found, with higher odds of a new diabetes diagnosis, the study found. Living alone had little effect on women's odds, however, but a huge effect on men's odds, increasing odds of a new diabetes diagnosis by 84 percent.

The study's authors note that the experiment was not controlled and that the activities and associations within the social network measurements were not measured as part of the study. The study looked merely at the size of people's social networks and measured the odds of diabetes being involved. The study is considered an opening towards a more comprehensive study of how social networks affect diabetic odds and outcomes.

Sources: BMC Public Health and Reuters


More Articles

With its slightly nutty flavor, chewy texture, and nutritional punch farro is an ancient whole grain worth a place in our pantry.

Farro...

Having diabetes is cause for concern, however it doesn’t mean that you need to eliminate all of your favorite foods from your diet completely....

With diabetes becoming more of an epidemic each and every day, being knowledgeable about the disease, its effects on the body as well as ways to...

If you’re a diabetic or live with one, it can be tough trying to figure out the best foods to eat because your priority is to control your blood...

In this post, I will show you the 10 best ice creams for diabetics.

When you think of sweetened foods that a diabetic shouldn’t consume,...

More Articles

If you’re living with diabetes, snacking is a necessity because going for more than 3-4 hours without eating can be detrimental to your health....

For diabetics, choosing healthy snacks can be a daunting task.

A good rule of thumb is to pick out snacks that are rich in protein, fiber,...

According to information available through the National Institutes of Health, there’s an estimated 462 million people in the world who are...

Eleven Clinical Studies

After eleven clinical studies and 300,000 participants, researcher Vasanti Malik and her team of researchers...

Diabetic women often have a harder time losing weight than non-diabetic women. A study funded by Jenny Craig proved that diabetic women have an...

Many recent studies have proved that magnesium levels are lower in patients with diabetes than in non-diabetics. This magnesium...

Fluid retention, also known as edema, is a problem that affects many diabetics, especially those with type 2 diabetes...

Some of us might be thrilled if we could manage our blood sugar by sitting in a hot tub or sauna, instead of working up a sweat biking, or using...

Cooking and baking with the ancient cereal grain sorghum has health benefits for people with diabetes, and those with weight control issues....

When it comes to certain foods, there are always questions as to whether or not a diabetic can have them without...

Matcha tea is a rich, creamy, full-bodied beverage with amazing nutritional properties that address several diabetes health concerns.

The...

Salads are good example of foods that type 2 diabetics can enjoy with relatively low guilt. With the right greens and other elements added, salad...

Remaining gainfully employed is important to many people. Those who live with any form of diabetes may find that some lines of work are more...

Learning that you have diabetes does mean making some lifestyle changes. One of the areas that needs attention is your diet. Most people find that...

One of the more challenging aspects of life as a type 2 diabetic is managing your diet. There’s often the temptation to avoid certain foods...