People who live in social isolation have a higher risk of type 2 diabetes. The risk of heart and kidney complications is also greater. These findings are important in the fight against this disease of affluence, both for prevention and for developing lifestyle interventions for people with this condition. Getting people out of social isolation can help prevent and treat type 2 diabetes.
Scientists from The Maastricht Study have come to this conclusion in an extensive literature study, led by biomedical scientist and epidemiologist Miranda Schram. In it, researchers discuss the evidence for the role of social networks on type 2 diabetes risk, managing diabetes, and the risk of diabetes complications. The research has been published in the renowned scientific journal Diabetologia.
Conclusions
The study shows that valuable conclusions can be drawn. Living alone and lack of social support increase the risk of type 2 diabetes. In fact, people who live alone are just as likely to develop diabetes as people with obesity or high blood pressure. The research also shows that these social characteristics existed before the development of diabetes. This makes them a clear indicator of an increased risk of type 2 diabetes.
The study also makes statements about existing diabetes patients. A smaller network and less social support mean an increased risk of diabetes complications, such as chronic kidney disease and cardiovascular disease. The authors also found some evidence that social support may have a beneficial effect on managing diabetes. Finally, the research supports the idea that involving the social network can help prevent diabetes, or its complications.
Researcher Miranda Schram: ‘These are important results, but at the same time more knowledge about social networks and type 2 diabetes is needed. In follow-up research, we will therefore focus on the question of how social networks are linked to exercise, obesity and diet. These lifestyle aspects are very important in the development of diabetes.
Prevention and new interventions
These results are important for the prevention of type 2 diabetes. Currently, 150 people a day in the Netherlands are told that they have diabetes. Developing targeted prevention, using insights from social networks, could potentially prevent many diagnoses.
But the insights from this research are also important when developing new lifestyle interventions. Currently, patients are often advised to exercise more and eat more healthily without inquiring about the social situation. Researcher Miranda Schram: “We expect that involving the social network will help to follow these recommendations better and for a longer period of time. Diabetes care providers, such as general practitioners and internists, need to become more aware of this, so that interventions have more effect in the future.
The Maastricht Study
Until now, little attention was paid to social networks in research into the causes of type 2 diabetes. In addition, there was little data. The Maastricht Study will change this and scientists will have access to a wealth of data on more than 9,000 people, about a quarter of whom have type 2 diabetes.
The Maastricht Study is a large-scale study in the Maastricht/Heuvelland region into the causes and consequences of type 2 diabetes and other chronic diseases. This study involved not only diabetes patients, but also a large group of people from the general population who function as a control group. Type 2 diabetes is one of the most common chronic diseases in the western world. More than 1.2 million Dutch people suffer from it. In addition, quite a few people also have diabetes without knowing whether they are in a pre-diabetes stage. The chronic disease can lead to all kinds of (serious) complications, and people also die from the consequences of type 2 diabetes.
Source: Maastricht UMC+
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