This site is intended for health professionals only


Men diagnosed with diabetes at lower BMI than women

Men with type 2 diabetes have a lower BMI at the time of diagnosis than women of the same age, although this difference narrows with age.

Scottish researchers drew data on 95,000 patients aged over 30. They found the mean BMI within one year of diagnosis was 31.83 kg/m2 in men, compared with 33.69kg/m2 in women. This difference was greatest at younger ages, and narrowed as age increased.

Importantly, there was no evidence that men were diagnosed earlier, as HbA1c levels taken within a year of diagnosis were similar in men and women.

Study lead Dr Jennifer Logue, clinical lecturer in biochemistry at the University of Glasgow said: ‘Our findings provide an explanation of why, despite higher prevalence of obesity in women, diabetes in middle-aged men appears to exceed that of women in some parts of the world'.

Diabetologia 2011, published online  30 September


          

Visit Pulse Reference for details on 140 symptoms, including easily searchable symptoms and categories, offering you a free platform to check symptoms and receive potential diagnoses during consultations.