Men with Diabetes Face Higher Risk of Severe Health Complications Than Women, Study Finds

A new study reveals that men with diabetes face a higher risk of severe health complications compared to diabetic women. Researchers, including experts from The University of Sydney, Australia, found that men are more prone to heart, leg, foot, kidney, and eye diseases associated with diabetes, irrespective of the duration of their condition.

The study involved 25,713 people aged 45 and above, all diagnosed with either type 1 or type 2 diabetes. Participants were monitored through surveys for a decade to track major health issues related to diabetes, with their responses linked to medical records. Researchers discovered that 44% of men experienced cardiovascular complications, such as stroke and heart failure, compared to 31% of women. The findings were published in the Journal of Epidemiology and Community Health.

Additionally, 25% of men developed leg/foot conditions and 35% developed kidney issues, compared to 18% and 25% of women, respectively. Leg/foot problems included ulcers and bone inflammation, while kidney issues encompassed chronic disease and failure. Overall, the study found that diabetic men were 51% more likely to develop heart problems than diabetic women. Men with diabetes were also 55% more likely to develop kidney complications and 47% more likely to suffer from leg/foot issues.

However, regarding the overall risk of developing eye complications, the team found little difference between men and women. Of the participants, 57 per cent of the men developed these conditions, while among women, 61 per cent developed them. Men were found to have a 14 per cent higher risk of developing sight-threatening eye disease diabetic retinopathy.

The researchers noted that although the rates of developing complications due to diabetes increased with the duration of the disease for both men and women, the sex-based differences in complication rates remained consistent.