Earlier Diagnosis of Type 2 Diabetes in Men Compared to Women
Worldwide, men are diagnosed with type 2 diabetes more frequently than women, with approximately 18 million more men currently living with the condition. However, when women are diagnosed, they usually are older and carry a higher body fat mass. Furthermore, these women are at a higher risk of dying from diabetes-related causes, particularly heart disease. Some experts suggest underdiagnosis might contribute to this disparity.
Research is being conducted to better understand the biological and social differences contributing to later diagnoses and worse outcomes in women. Healthcare providers are considering changing their methodologies for diabetes testing in an effort to identify at-risk women earlier, when interventions like treatment and lifestyle modifications can have greater impact.
The reasons behind the gender disparity in diabetes diagnoses are multifaceted. While many risk factors for type 2 diabetes are common to both sexes, they tend to present later in women. Additionally, the disease might manifest differently in women, potentially causing current diagnostic tools to miss them. Using some tests but not others is said to be a primary cause of underdiagnosis in women.
Biological differences between men and women also influence type 2 diabetes. Hormonal shifts throughout a person's lifetime can impact how the body manages blood sugar, with events like pregnancy and menopause affecting the development and progression of type 2 diabetes differently in women.
Gestational diabetes during pregnancy is a strong predictor of future type 2 diabetes in women. A diagnosis of gestational diabetes is the greatest known risk factor for developing type 2 diabetes later in life, suggestions indicate that women who experience gestational diabetes are up to eight times more likely to develop type 2 diabetes.
Fat storage and distribution in the body is another crucial risk factor for type 2 diabetes. In younger ages, men are more likely than women to store visceral fat, which increases the risk of insulin resistance, a significant contributor to type 2 diabetes. Overall, these factors contribute to women's higher risk of death from diabetes-related complications despite lower diagnosed prevalence compared to men.
- The biological and social differences in women might lead to later diagnoses and worse outcomes for type 2 diabetes, necessitating changes in healthcare providers' diabetes testing methodologies to identify at-risk women earlier.
- Research is being conducted to understand the reasons behind the gender disparity in type 2 diabetes diagnoses, which are influenced by various factors such as biological differences, hormonal shifts, and manifestation of the disease in women.
- Some experts suggest underdiagnosis might contribute to the disparity, with the use of some tests but not others being a primary cause of underdiagnosis in women.
- Gestational diabetes during pregnancy is a strong predictor of future type 2 diabetes in women, making them up to eight times more likely to develop the condition later in life.
- In younger ages, men are more likely to store visceral fat, a key risk factor for insulin resistance and type 2 diabetes, contributing to the higher risk of death from diabetes-related complications in women, despite lower diagnosed prevalence compared to men.
- Health and wellness newsletters, women's health experts, and AI-powered health tools can play a significant role in raising awareness about chronic diseases like type 2 diabetes, promoting early detection, and advocating for improved science-based approaches to healthcare for women.
