Khaberni -A study showed that socially isolated elderly people are at an increased risk of developing diabetes, and consistently high blood glucose due to poor control.
The study was discussed at the American Endocrine Society's annual meeting currently held (July 12-15) in San Francisco.
Increasing recognition of isolation
Lead researcher Dr. Samia Khan from the University of Southern California said, "The recognition of social isolation and loneliness as important factors in health risk has increased after the COVID-19 pandemic. Our findings emphasize the importance of physicians recognizing social isolation as a crucial social determinant of health when caring for elderly patients."
According to "Medical Express", these findings are particularly significant given the rapid growth in the elderly population worldwide, alongside the wide prevalence of social isolation, and loneliness among the elderly.
Khan pointed out that while some previous studies explored the relationship between social isolation and diabetes, this study is among the first to investigate its association with poor control of blood sugar levels using a representative sample that reflects the broader U.S. population.
Khan and her team examined data from the U.S. National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey between 2003 and 2008.
Increased risk percentage
The researchers found that socially isolated elderly people were 34% more likely to develop diabetes and 75% more likely to have poor blood sugar control compared to those who were not isolated.
This indicates that social isolation may be an important, and often overlooked, risk factor for developing diabetes and poor blood sugar control in the elderly.
