London, Sept. 2 (SANA) Men and women with type 2 diabetes may develop different patterns of health complications, with women more likely to experience mental health problems and men showing higher rates of cardiovascular disease and kidney failure, a UK study has found.
The research analyzed health records from 28,720 people in the United Kingdom who were newly diagnosed with type 2 diabetes between 2010 and 2020 and followed them for an average of 6.8 years, according to Medical Xpress.
The study, published in PLOS Medicine, was conducted by Fabiola Eto and researchers at the Wolfson Institute of Population Health at Queen Mary University of London.
Researchers found that 8.1% of women followed a health trajectory involving mental health conditions such as depression and anxiety, compared with 5.3% of men.
By contrast, 8.4% of men developed a pattern involving cardiovascular disease or kidney failure, compared with 5.3% of women.
High blood pressure was the most common condition recorded after a type 2 diabetes diagnosis in both groups, affecting 21.1% of men and 20.2% of women.
Some diabetes-related complications also appeared earlier in men, while women used healthcare services more frequently and were more likely to receive long-term prescriptions, the study found.
Researchers also identified an association between mental health problems following a diabetes diagnosis and a higher risk of premature death. Among patients following that health trajectory, men died on average about nine years earlier than women.
The researchers cautioned that the findings show associations rather than proving that diabetes directly caused the health conditions or premature deaths.
Type 2 diabetes is a chronic condition in which the body does not use insulin effectively, resulting in elevated blood sugar levels. It can be managed through a balanced diet, physical activity and prescribed treatment.
T.S /ABD
