Mid-aged men more likely to have diabetes

Middle-aged men are almost twice as likely to have diabetes compared to their female counterparts, according to a new study.

A report from the health charity Diabetes UK found that cases of diabetes have risen four times faster in men aged 35 to 44 over the last 12 years compared with women of the same age.

Over that time, men have consistently been more overweight than women, which is fuelling their higher rates of Type 2 diabetes.

This type is associated with unhealthy lifestyles, including a lack of exercise and obesity, and accounts for around 9 out of 10 cases of the disease.

On contrary, the other sort of diabetes, Type 1, is not linked to obesity and usually develops in childhood or adolescence.

“It’s very worrying that men of this age are developing diabetes at such an alarming rate compared to their female counterparts,” the Scotsman quoted Simon O’Neill, director of care, information and advocacy at Diabetes UK, as saying.

“Most of them will have Type 2 diabetes which is strongly linked to lifestyle and can be prevented in many cases by eating a healthy, balanced diet and doing regular physical activity.

“Women should not rest on their laurels either. They may tend to develop the condition later in life, but the risk of death from heart disease associated with Type 2 diabetes is about 50 per cent greater in women – not a statistic to be ignored,” he added.