Men at increased risk of developing diabetes

Scientists at Glasgow University have found that men are at a greater risk of type 2 diabetes than women, as they have to gain less weight to develop the metabolic condition.
The study, which involved data from 51,920 men and 43,137 women in Scotland with diabetes, showed that men developed diabetes at a lower body mass index (BMI) than women, which was claimed to be behind the higher rates of diabetes in men in many places around the world. It also shown that being above standard weight was a major risk factor for developing type 2 diabetes, as well as genetics, age and ethnicity.
The findings from the study highlighted that the average BMI at diabetes diagnosis in men was 31.83, while it was 33.69 in women, and also that the difference between the two was most obvious at younger ages. It was claimed that this discrepancy may be due to fat distributio, as men generally have more fat around their stomach and liver.
Lead researcher, Naveed Sattar, from the Institute of Cardiovascular and Medical Sciences, commented “Previous research has indicated that middle-aged men are at a higher risk of developing diabetes than women and one possible explanation is that men have to gain less weight than women to develop the condition.”