Monthly Archives: December 2020

Dear Doctors: We keep hearing about Type 2 diabetes, and I'm embarrassed to say, I don't actually know what it is. What does it do, and how do I know if I have it?

Dear Reader: To understand diabetes, we should first talk about glucose. That's the sugar our bodies make from the foods that we eat, and which our cells use as their main source of fuel. Glucose travels throughout the body via the blood, which is why it's also often referred to as blood sugar. However, it's not immediately available to the cells. That's where insulin, a hormone manufactured by the pancreas, comes into play. Insulin helps transport glucose from the blood into the cells, where it can be used as energy.

When someone has diabetes, it means that the insulin part of that energy equation isn't working properly. Either the body isn't manufacturing enough -- or any -- insulin, or it isn't responding properly to the insulin that is present. That leads to blood-glucose levels that are too high.

Over time, high blood levels of glucose are dangerous. Adverse health effects include damage to the circulatory system, vision problems, nerve damage, stomach or intestinal problems, slow healing, kidney disease and an increase in the risk of heart disease and stroke. Extremely high blood sugar levels can lead to coma, and even death.

In Type 1 diabetes, the pancreas makes little or no insulin. It often develops early in life, but can occur at any age. This type of diabetes is managed with diet and exercise, plus the use of medications and insulin.

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Insulin is at the heart of both types of diabetes - The Times and Democrat

This article was originally published here

BMC Cardiovasc Disord. 2020 Dec 9;20(1):514. doi: 10.1186/s12872-020-01805-6.

ABSTRACT

BACKGROUND: This study aimed to reveal the association of diabetes mellitus and dialysis-dependent renal failure with the lesion severity and chronic total occlusion (CTO) in patients undergoing femoropopliteal endovascular therapy for intermittent claudication.

METHODS: This multicenter retrospective study analyzed the data of 2056 consecutive patients with moderate to severe intermittent claudication, who underwent endovascular therapy for de novo lesions in the superficial femoral artery to the proximal popliteal artery between 2010 and 2018 at five cardiovascular centers in Japan. The association of the clinical characteristics with severity of the lesions, as assessed by the Trans-Atlantic Inter-Society Consensus (TASC) II classification, was investigated using the ordinal logistic regression model. Their association with CTO, lesion length, and severity of calcifications was additionally analyzed using the binomial logistic regression model.

RESULTS: The prevalence of diabetes mellitus and dialysis-dependent renal failure was 54.7% and 21.4%, respectively; 12.5% of the patients had lesions corresponding to TASC II class D, and 39.3% of the patients had CTO. Current smoking and severe claudication were associated with more severe lesions assessed according to the TASC II classification; diabetes mellitus and dialysis dependence were inversely associated with disease severity. The adjusted odds ratios of diabetes mellitus and dialysis dependence were 0.82 (95% confidence interval 0.70-0.97; p = 0.018) and 0.76 (0.62-0.94; p = 0.009), respectively. Diabetes mellitus and dialysis dependence were also inversely associated with CTO (both p < 0.05). Furthermore, diabetes mellitus was inversely associated with a long lesion (p < 0.05). Diabetes mellitus and dialysis dependence were positively associated with severe calcification (both p < 0.05).

CONCLUSIONS: Diabetes mellitus and dialysis-dependent renal failure were inversely associated with the lesion severity, as assessed by the TASC II classification, and CTO in patients undergoing femoropopliteal endovascular therapy for intermittent claudication.

PMID:33297956 | DOI:10.1186/s12872-020-01805-6

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Inverse association of diabetes and dialysis with the severity of femoropopliteal lesions and chronic total occlusion: a cross-sectional study of 2056...

Data presented during the 2020 San Antonio Breast Cancer Symposium found that adhering to a diabetes risk reduction diet improved survival for women with stage 1 to 3 breast cancer compared to women who did not follow this specific diet.

Diabetes may be common in women with breast cancer, especially since 75%, or more than 2.6 million women, are at least 60 years or older, which means breast cancer survivorship must be managed in consideration with aging-related comorbidity such as diabetes, said Tengteng Wang, PhD, a research fellow at Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health during the virtual presentation of the study.

Type 2 diabetes, in particular, is a risk factor for breast cancer incidence and may be a predictive factor for breast cancer mortality. In addition, breast cancer increases the likelihood of developing type 2 diabetes.

Identifying modifiable strategies to prevent type 2 diabetes among breast cancer survivors may be very important to improve their survival outcomes, said Wang.

Researchers analyzed data from 8,320 women with stage 1 to 3 breast cancer from 2 large cohort studies: the Nurses Health Study (1980-2014) and the Nurses Health Study II (1991-2015). Validated questionnaires were completed every 2 to 4 years to collect information on diet among other factors.

This study focused on a diabetes risk reduction diet with 9 dietary components including higher intakes of nuts, cereal fiber, coffee, polyunsaturated-saturated fat ratio and whole fruits, in addition to a lower glycemic index of diet and lower intakes of sugar-sweetened beverages/fruit juices, trans fat and red meat.

The [diabetes risk reduction diet] has been associated with 14% lower type 2 diabetes risk in [a] previous publication of the Nurses Health Study, said Wang.

Researchers calculated an average score of adherence to this diabetes risk reduction diet through repeated measures of diet after a diagnosis of breast cancer. Follow-up was conducted for a median of 16 years after cancer diagnosis.

During follow-up, 2,146 deaths occurred, of which 948 were related to breast cancer. Women with higher diet adherence scores after diagnosis had a 33% lower risk for all-cause mortality (HR = 0.67; 95% CI, 0.58-0.78; P for trend < .0001) and a 17% lower risk for mortality related to breast cancer (HR = 0.83; 95% CI, 0.67-1.02; P for trend = .03) compared with women with lower diet adherence scores.

Our results did not differ by breast tumor ER status or stage, said Wang.

During the discussion portion of the presentation, Wang said that she and her colleagues analyzed what may be the potential mechanism for this association. She said, We looked at how [diabetes risk reduction diet][ influenced gene expression in [the] breast tumor for [a] subgroup of our breast cancer patients, and according to our pathway analysis, the [diabetes risk reduction diet] is more associated with the pathway related to immune regulation and also cell proliferation, so this is, I think, an interesting finding.

When further adjusting for neighborhood socioeconomic status, the association between diet adherence and mortality risk was slightly attenuated, with patients with greater adherence having a 31% lower risk for all-cause mortality (HR = 0.69; 95% CI, 0.6-0.8; P for trend < .0001) and a 14% lower risk for mortality from breast cancer (HR = 0.86; 95% CI, 0.7-1.07; P for trend = .06).

Women who improved their adherence to a diabetes risk reduction diet after breast cancer diagnosis had a lower risk for breast cancer mortality compared with those with consistently low adherence to this diet (HR = 0.81; 95% CI, 0.65-1).

In conclusion, we felt that a greater adherence to the [diabetes risk reduction diet] after breast cancer diagnosis was associated with better survival outcomes, which means promoting dietary changes consistent with prevention of type 2 diabetes may be very important for breast cancer survivors, said Wang.

A version of this story appeared on CURE as Dietary Changes to Reduce Diabetes Risk May Also Increase Survival for Breast Cancer.

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Diabetes Risk Reduction Diet Adherence Improved Survival for Patients with Breast Cancer - Cancer Network

TheStandards of Medical Care in Diabetes2021provides the latest in comprehensive, evidence-based recommendations for the diagnosis and treatment of children and adults with type 1, type 2, or gestational diabetes; strategies for the prevention or delay of type 2 diabetes; and therapeutic approaches that can reduce complications, mitigate cardiovascular and renal risk, and improve health outcomes.

This update presents:

Today, theStandards of Careis available online and is published as a supplement to the January 2021 issue ofDiabetes Care.

"The American Diabetes Association is committed to improving the lives of all those affected by diabetes through this publication of the most widely respected guidelines for health professionals," said Dr. Robert Gabbay, Chief Scientific and Medical Officer at the American Diabetes Association.

Updates to the Standards of Care are established and revised by the ADA's Professional Practice Committee(PPC). The committee is a multidisciplinary team of 16 leading U.S. experts in the field of diabetes care and includes physicians, diabetes care and education specialists, registered dietitians, and others with experience in adult and pediatric endocrinology, epidemiology, public health, cardiovascular risk management, microvascular complications, preconception and pregnancy care, weight management and diabetes prevention, and use of technology in diabetes management. Two designated representatives of the American College of Cardiology (ACC) reviewed and provided feedback on the "Cardiovascular Disease and Risk Management" section, and this section received endorsement from ACC. "As a world leader in diabetes care, the ADA is proud to set the standards!" said Boris Draznin, MD, PhD, Chair of the Professional Practice Committee.

The online version of the Standards of Care will continue to be annotated in real-time with necessary updates if new evidence or regulatory changes merit immediate incorporation through the living Standards of Care process. The ADA also publishes the abridged Standards of Careyearly for primary care providers in its journal, Clinical Diabetes, and offers a convenient Standards of Care appas well as a Standards of Care pocket chart. Other Standards of Care resources, including a webcastwith continuing education credit and a full slide deck, can be found on DiabetesPro.

About Diabetes CareDiabetes Care,a monthly journal of the American Diabetes Association (ADA), is the highest-ranked, peer-reviewed journal in the field of diabetes treatment and prevention. Dedicated to increasing knowledge, stimulating research and promoting better health care for people with diabetes, the journal publishes original articles on human studies in clinical care, education and nutrition; epidemiology, health services and psychosocial research; emerging treatments and technologies; and pathophysiology and complications. Diabetes Care also publishes the ADA's recommendations and statements, clinically relevant review articles, editorials and commentaries. Topics covered are of interest to clinically oriented physicians, researchers, epidemiologists, psychologists, diabetes care and education specialists and other health care professionals.

About the American Diabetes AssociationEvery day more than 4,000 people are newly diagnosed with diabetes in America. More than 122 million Americans have diabetes or prediabetes and are striving to manage their lives while living with the disease. The American Diabetes Association (ADA) is the nation's leading voluntary health organization fighting to bend the curve on the diabetes epidemic and help people living with diabetes thrive. For 80 years the ADA has been driving discovery and research to treat, manage and prevent diabetes, while working relentlessly for a cure. We help people with diabetes thrive by fighting for their rights and developing programs, advocacy and education designed to improve their quality of life. Diabetes has brought us together. What we do next will make us Connected for Life. To learn more or to get involved, visit us at diabetes.org or call 1-800-DIABETES (1-800-342-2383). Join the fight with us on Facebook (American Diabetes Association), Twitter (@AmDiabetesAssn) and Instagram (@AmDiabetesAssn).

Contact:Daisy Diaz, 703-253-4807[emailprotected]

SOURCE American Diabetes Association

http://www.diabetes.org

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ADA Releases 2021 Standards of Medical Care in Diabetes Centered on Evolving Evidence, Technology, and Individualized Care - PRNewswire

Compared with White people, those who are Black have higher cardiovascular risk when early-onset type 2 diabetes (T2D) develops, according to the results of a study published in Diabetes Care.

Studies have shown an increase in the incidence of early-onset T2D diagnosis and a greater risk for T2D among Black people when compared with White people, but the evaluation of ethnicity-specific temporal trends of early-onset T2D diagnosis and the impact of comorbidities at the time of diagnosis had not yet been conducted.

To investigate and compare the trends in early-onset T2D diagnosis of Black and White people as well as the trends of various risk factors at the time of T2D diagnosis, data from 606,440 individuals aged 18 to 70 years who were diagnosed with T2D between 2000 and 2018 were analyzed. Atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease (ASCVD) was defined by the presence of a clinical diagnosis of ischemic heart disease.

Over the past 2 decades, the rate of T2D diagnosis among Black patients within the age groups 18 to 39 and 40 to49 years has consistently been higher than that of their White counterparts (P <.01). The proportion of both Black and White patients diagnosed with T2D before 50 years of age increased significantly from 2012 to 2018 (P <.05).

Black patients had significantly higher mean hemoglobin A1c (HbA1c) than White patients across all age groups. Although no difference was seen in other age groups, Black patients 18 to 39 years of age had significantly higher body mass index (BMI) than their White counterparts (P =.02).

MACE-3 refers to 3-point major adverse cardiovascular events heart failure, myocardial infarction, or stroke. Black patients had a significantly higher risk for MACE-3 compared with White patients across all age groups, with the youngest age group having the highest relative risk (hazard ratio [HR], 1.63; 95% CI, 1.42-1.88) and the lowest relative risk observed in the oldest age group (HR, 1.11; 95% CI, 1.06-1.15).

Taken as a whole, the results of this study illustrated the increasing burden of early-onset T2D and the increased risk of MACE-3 for Black patients. Understanding the trends in diagnosis of early-onset T2D and the differences in the prevalence of related comorbidities among people of different ethnicities may improve healthcare practitioners ability to detect and manage this disease.

Limitations of this study include the use of electronic medical records, which may have resulted in errors in data collection due to condition coding, and the fact that the database did not link directly to hospitalized data.

Future investigation into potential explanations for the differences between ethnicities observed in this study are warranted.

Reference

Dibato JE, Montvida O, Zaccardi F, et al. Association of cardiometabolic multimorbidity and depression with cardiovascular events in early-onset adult type 2 diabetes: a multiethnic study in the US. Published online November 11, 2020. Diabetes Care. doi: 10.2337/dc20-2045

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Differences in Comorbidities and Diagnosis of Early-Onset Type 2 Diabetes by Ethnicity - Endocrinology Advisor

UPPSALA, Sweden Any dog owner will tell you theres a special bond between humans and canines, but a new study is taking that idea to a whole new level. Researchers at Uppsala University report owners of a dog with diabetes are more likely to develop type 2 diabetes themselves compared to people without a dog. Interestingly, this connection does not appear in pet owners with other animals like cats.

Prior research discovered a possible connection between obesity in dog owners and their pups. So, this studys authors set out to investigate if there is a similar connection regarding diabetes.

By combining data provided by a Swedish veterinary insurance register with additional Swedish population and health registers, researchers collected a significant amount of information on dog and cat owners in the country. In all, the team examined over 175,000 dog owners and close to 90,000 cat owners during this study.

Study authors focused on middle-aged or older pet owners and had their health records tracked for six years. The team then compared type 2 diabetes diagnoses for the owners against their pets canine and feline diabetes rates.

That analysis led researchers to conclude that owning a dog with diabetes puts one at a 38-percent higher risk of developing type 2 diabetes in comparison to non dog owners. Notably, study authors could not explain this finding by looking for clues in the owners age, sex, and socioeconomic status, or the breed, gender, and age of their dogs.

Our results indicate that a dog with diabetes in the household might signal an increased risk of the dog owner developing type 2 diabetes as well. We have not had access to information about household lifestyle behaviors, but we think the association might be due to shared physical activity patterns and possibly also shared dietary habits as well as shared risk of adiposity. If shared exercise habits are indeed a key factor, it might further help explain why we dont see any shared diabetes risk in cat owners and their cats, says senior study author Beatrice Kennedy, a postdoctoral research fellow in medical epidemiology, in a university release.

Humans and dogs have lived together for at least 15,000 years, and continue to share their everyday lives for better or worse. In this unique study, we show that there might be common lifestyle and environmental factors that influence the risk of diabetes in the household, both in the dogs and in their owners, concludes co-senior study author Tove Fall, Professor of Molecular Epidemiology at Uppsala University.

The study is published in BMJ.

See more here:
Having a dog with diabetes raises ones risk of developing the disease too - Study Finds

ANNAPOLIS, MDGovernor Larry Hogan today announced the commitment of more than $94 million in new investments across Maryland to help people with prediabetes and diabetes prevent or manage their disease during the COVID-19 pandemic.

The $94 million of new investments I am announcing today will be used to help Marylanders across the state battle diabetes, said Governor Hogan. Even in the midst of a pandemic, diabetes continues to be one of the most devastating health issues in our state. And having diabetes puts individuals at risk of serious illness from COVID-19, so this comes at an important time.

There are currently more than 2.1 million Marylanders with either diabetes or prediabetes, more than 34% of the total population, and many dont even know it. Diabetes is the 6th leading cause of death in Maryland, and people with Type 2 diabetes have a greater risk of serious illness from COVID-19, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).

Taken together, the measures being funded represent the first major community-based initiatives resulting from the Diabetes Action Plan, published last November.Developed with extensive input from community partners and diabetes experts, the Diabetes ActionPlan catalogs the state of this disease among Maryland residents and outlines comprehensive community-based prevention, management and treatment initiatives.

Todays initiatives announced by the governor include:

Regional Catalyst Grant Program

Recently the Health Services Cost Review Commission (HSCRC) announced the award of its new competitive Regional Partnership Catalyst Grant Program, an investment of more than $86.3 million in Maryland hospitals and their community health resource partners to support diabetes prevention, education, and self-management training programs. The HSCRC grant provides an initial five-year funding stream to help hospitals launch interventions that can be sustained at the end of the grant.

CareFirst Investments in Community Health

CareFirst BlueCross BlueShield will invest more than $6.6 million in four Maryland communities as part of a multi-year initiative to combat social and health disparities for people who are at risk for or have been diagnosed with diabetes. Thispledge will focus on steps and strategies that can be taken to intervene in areas where extensive data shows community and social factors contribute to the onset of diabetes. This work will be done in partnership with Local Health Improvement Coalitions (LHICs) and local health departments. LHICs are comprised of local partners, working with the health officers to create meaningful public-private partnerships supporting community wellness.

CHRC Partners with MDH and UMD to Support Local Health Coalitions

Marylands Community Health Resource Commission (CHRC), consistently supportive of the Diabetes Action Plan, recently awarded $1 million to Marylands local health departments to help LHICs expand capacity and build on innovative partnerships, services, and programming in communities at high-risk for diabetes.In an effort to maximize the impact of the grant funding, MDH will provide technical assistance to LHICs,in partnership with the Horowitz Center for Health Literacy in the School of Public Health, University of Maryland.

In addition, last year the CHRC issued 12 awards totaling $2.2 million to support projects in local communities in support of the Maryland Diabetes Action Plan through promoting food security and addressing other social determinants that impact diabetes.Addressing diabetes is a top funding priority of the CHRC, focusing on the Diabetes Action Plan recommendations to employ local action integrated with community approach in the fight against diabetes.

Along with these investments, Marylands Medicaid program added the National Diabetes Prevention Programs (NDPP) as a covered benefit last fall, providing both in-person and virtual access for eligible HealthChoice enrollees who may not have otherwise been able to afford it. The DPP is available through all nine of its Managed Care Organizations statewide.

Marylanders are urged to speak to their physician about their risk for diabetes, and go online to know their risk. An easy 60-second risk test from the American Diabetes Association can help everyone: https://www.diabetes.org/risk-test

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Governor Larry Hogan Announces $94 Million in Funding to Support Diabetes Prevention and Treatment for Marylanders - The Southern Maryland Chronicle

Why Global Citizens Should Care

Noncommunicable diseases (NCDs), such as cancers and diabetes, are now the leading cause of death in the world, according to the World Health Organizations (WHO) 2019 Global Health Estimates report published Wednesday.

The top10 diseases accounted for 55% of the 55.4 million deaths worldwide that were reported in 2019.

It is important to understand which diseases people die from to measure how people live and to ensure that health care systems areprepared to respond to patients needs, according to the WHO.

The WHOdefines NCDs as chronic diseases that are usually the result of genetic, physiological, environmental, and behavioral factors. In comparison, communicable diseases are transmitted between people, such as HIV/AIDS, tuberculosis, malaria, and tropical diseases.

At the global level, 7 of the 10 leading causes of death were NCDs in 2019. This is a dramatic rise from 2000, when only 4 of the top 10 diseases were classified as noncommunicable.

These new estimates are another reminder that we need to rapidly step up prevention, diagnosis,and treatment of noncommunicable diseases, WHO Director-GeneralDr. Tedros AdhanomGhebreyesussaid.

Related Stories Dec. 9, 2020 Thomson Reuters Foundation Poor Countries Are at Risk of Missing Out on COVID-19 Vaccines as Rich Nations Hoard Supplies

While the WHOs list outlines the top causes of death globally, the leading causes of death within eachcountry arevaried. The causes of death across high-,middle-,and low-income countries showthe difference between lifestyle and health care around the world.

In 2019, heart disease remained the number one killer globally and accounted for 16% of total diseases around the world, according to the report.

Heart disease has been the leading cause of death globally for the last 20 years. The number of people who died from the disease in 2019 rose to almost 9 million.

Related Stories Nov. 20, 2020 The WHO Just Introduced a Plan to Eliminate Cervical Cancer Around the World

For the first time, Alzheimers disease and other forms of dementia entered the top 10 causes of global death.The report also showed that women were more at risk of degenerative diseases, as 65% of Alzheimers and other forms ofdementia deaths were women.

Diabetes also entered the top 10 list in 2019. The number of people who died from the disease has increased by 70% since 2000. Men are more at risk of this disease and there was an 80% rise in death among men in the past two decades.

While Alzheimers disease, dementia, and diabetesare all classified as NCDs, none of themwere amongthe top 10 causes of death in low- or middle-income countries.

Related Stories Nov. 30, 2020 Malaria Will Kill More People Than COVID-19 in Sub-Saharan Africa This Year: WHO

Deaths from communicable diseases declined globally from 2000 to 2019, however, they are still a challenge in lower- and middle-income countries. In low-income countries, 6 of the top 10 causes of death were communicable diseases.

HIV/AIDS was nolonger listedamong the top 10 global diseases in 2019. Deaths from HIV/AIDS have decreased by 51% globally since 2000.However, in low-income countries, HIV/AIDS, malaria, and tuberculosis remainedin the top 10.

Dr. Samira Asma, assistant director-general for the division of data, analytics,and delivery for impact at the WHO, explained the importance of collecting data on worldwide deaths in the report.

The WHO Global Health Estimates are a powerful tool to maximize health and economic impact, she said. We call upon governments and stakeholders to urgently invest in data and health information systems to support timely and effective decision-making.

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Noncommunicable Diseases Like Cancer and Diabetes Are the Top Causes of Death Globally: WHO - Global Citizen

A graduate from the University of Huddersfield has designed a discrete earring that could revolutionise the management of type 1 diabetes.

And the technology could now be set for millions of pounds worth of funding after beating thousands of entries from around the world to make the final of the 2020 Global Grad Show.

Tyra Kozlow, 22, who studied product design in Huddersfield, has developed a non-invasive monitor that tests blood sugar levels and delivers feedback in real-time.

The Sense Glucose Earring, which requires a single lobe piercing, uses safe high-frequency radio waves that travel through the lobe and provide data on the characteristics of the blood.

Once the blood has been monitored, an app connected to the earring sends the user notifications from a Smartphone or Smartwatch with information on their current blood sugar levels.

The app also has the capacity to share data, analyse trends and help the user manage their condition, while the earring comes with a wireless charging case and customisable design.

Ideal diabetes management is based on finding the perfect balance of medication to keep a patient's blood sugar level in the target range in order to avoid health complications.

According to diabetes.co.uk, six out of seven teenagers struggle to get their long term blood sugar control within the target range of an HbA1c value of below 7.5 per cent.

And the inspiration for Tyra's design came about following a focus group she chaired with a group of parents whose children have type 1 diabetes.

Tyra, now a product designer at the Halifax -based Project:ff&e Ltd, was told of the stigma the group's children experienced and that they would often avoid diabetes management while with friends because they felt ashamed.

"Even though type 1 diabetes is not the fault of the person affected by it, and is not related to any behavioural patterns or choices, young people diagnosed with the condition do experience a distressing level of stigma," said Tyra, who graduated from the University of Huddersfield in July of this year.

"They can be twice as likely to have poor glycaemic control which can lead to further health problems.

"I hope Sense will help teenagers feel more in control of their diabetes and that they will feel encouraged to manage their condition around their friends as it's a piece of Smart Technology."

She added: "By making monitoring the process as easy as measuring your heart rate on a Smartwatch, I hope this will lessen the stigma so it becomes much more a part of everyday life."

The Sense Glucose Earring could now be in line to receive up to 2million in funding after making the final of the 2020 Global Grad Show.

The event is an exhibition of graduate work from the world's leading design and technology schools which aims to put graduates in touch with those who can assist with and fund their research.

This year, a total of 270 universities submitted 1,600 projects which have now been whittled down to 100.

Two designs will go on to secure as much as 2million over a ten-year fund to help bring the product to market.

You can view the shortlisted entries, here.

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The Huddersfield invented earring that could revolutionise diabetes treatment - Yorkshire Live

By: Explained Desk | Updated: December 14, 2020 8:28:30 amA significant finding of their study says that owning a dog with diabetes was associated with a 38 per cent increased risk of diabetes in the owner.(Thinkstock)

A new study published in the British Medical Journal (BMJ) says that diabetes in dogs may indicate an elevated risk of type 2 diabetes in their owners.

The study

The study included more than 175,000 dog owners and nearly 90,000 cat owners along with their dogs and cats. The dog and cat owners included in the study were all middle-aged or older at the start of the study and were followed through for a period of six years (January 1, 2007 December 31, 2012).

Through this period, researchers analysed the incidence of type 2 diabetes in the pet owners and canine and feline diabetes in their pets.

So what does the research say?

Authors of the study, which was conducted at Uppsala University in Sweden in collaboration with three other universities, say that owners of a dog with diabetes are more likely to develop type 2 diabetes than owners of a dog without diabetes. A similar shared risk of diabetes could not be detected for cat owners and their pets, the researchers have said.

What could explain this association?

A significant finding of their study says that owning a dog with diabetes was associated with a 38 per cent increased risk of diabetes in the owner. Beatrice Kennedy, one of the senior authors of the study was quoted as saying in a press release that the association of diabetes between dogs and their owners might be explained by physical activity patterns, possibly also by their shared dietary habits and adiposity. The WHO defines adiposity as having a body mass index (BMI) of over 30 kg per metre square.

Significantly, if the reason for the association of a shared risk of the disease between dogs and their owners is indeed a result of their physical activity patterns, it would also explain why the researchers did not see a shared risk association of the disease between cats and their owners. Follow Express Explained on Telegram

Humans and dogs have lived together for at least 15,000 years, and continue to share their everyday lives for better or worse. In this unique study, we show that there might be common lifestyle and environmental factors that influence the risk of diabetes in the household, both in the dogs and in their owners, Tove Fall, another author of the study was quoted as saying.

What is type 2 diabetes?

Type 2 diabetes is the most common type of diabetes and occurs when blood glucose or blood sugar is too high and is most likely a result of excess body weight and physical inactivity. According to the World Health Organisation (WHO), this type of diabetes was seen only in adults but is now also occurring increasingly frequently in children. Overall, 422 million adults in the world have diabetes, including type 1.

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Explained: What a new study says about the shared risk of diabetes between dog and cat owners and their pets - The Indian Express