Social network and development of prediabetes and type 2 diabetes in middle-aged Swedish women and men

AimExplore if social network affects development of prediabetes and type 2 diabetes.MethodsIndividuals with normal glucose tolerance at baseline, 2924 women and 2039 men, aged 35-56 years, were followed-up 8-10 years later by an oral glucose tolerance test. Prediabetes and type 2 diabetes was then evident in 168 and 50 women and in 236 and 93 men, respectively. Measures of social network (AVSI-index (availability of social integration), civil status and participation in social activities), recorded by questionnaire at baseline, were evaluated by logistic regression.ResultsHaving AVSI scores in the highest tertile was associated with a decreased risk to develop type 2 diabetes in women (age-adjusted odds ratio 0.41 [95% CI: 0.19-0.88]) less significant after full adjustment (0.50 [0.22-1.16]). Contrary, in men AVSI was associated with an increased risk to develop type 2 diabetes (1.93 [1.03-3.60]) after full adjustment. Participation in social activities decreased the risk to develop prediabetes and type 2 diabetes in women, (age-adjusted 0.65 [0.46-0.91] and 0.43 [0.24-0.77], respectively), less significant when adjusted for confounders (0.78 [0.54-1.12] and 0.59 [0.31-1.13]). In men a decreased risk was observed for prediabetes (0.59 [0.43-0.82] multi-adjusted model). Being married or living with a partner decreased type 2 diabetes risk only in men (0.57 [0.33-0.97] and 0.61 [0.34-1.08] age- and multi-adjusted models, respectively).ConclusionsIndividuals having a social network seemed less likely to develop abnormal glucose regulation. Contradictory to an overall protective pattern of having a social network, high AVSI-index in men increased the risk to develop type 2 diabetes.