Health

Why do men have a higher risk of Type 2 diabetes than women?

By Mallika Marshall, MD

Updated on: May 20, 2024 / 5:46 PM EDT / CBS Boston

Men have higher risk for Type 2 diabetes, study says

BOSTON - Men are at higher risk of Type 2 diabetes, and a new study says it may boil down to hormonal differences.

In general, men tend to develop Type 2 diabetes at a lower BMI than women and at younger ages.

They also are more likely to develop complications from both Type 1 and Type 2 diabetes, such as heart disease, poor circulation in the legs, kidney failure, and vision impairment.

Scientists in Sweden have found that the sex differences may be due to different hormone profiles in men and women that affect the metabolism of fat.

They propose that treatments for diabetes may need to be tailored based on sex.

For example, drugs that target weight loss may benefit both men and women with Type 2 diabetes but tend to be especially helpful for women.

Diabetes

Mallika Marshall, MD

Mallika Marshall, MD is an Emmy-award-winning journalist and physician who has served as the HealthWatch Reporter for CBS Boston/WBZ-TV for over 20 years. A practicing physician Board Certified in both Internal Medicine and Pediatrics, Dr. Marshall serves on staff at Harvard Medical School and practices at Massachusetts General Hospital at the MGH Chelsea Urgent Care and the MGH Revere Health Center, where she is currently working on the frontlines caring for patients with COVID-19. She is also a host and contributing editor for Harvard Health Publications (HHP), the publishing division of Harvard Medical School.

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