A recent report in the journal Endocrine Reviews has suggested that the female gender plays an important risk factor in the many facets of the development of type 2 diabetes.
Why is gender so significant, you may ask? You will be surprised to note that gender actually makes a significant impact on the development of diabetes.
The report looked at the reproductive and sexual aspects, psychosocial elements, and differences based on gender in the manifestation of diabetes. You will be amazed to see the power of gender influencing the development of diabetes.
This article will give you a brief overview of some of the points addressed in the report.
- For example, lets talk about sexual dysfunction in diabetic men and women. The reasons for sexual dysfunction actually differ between diabetic men and women. In diabetic men, sexual dysfunction is associated with the glycemic control* or cardiorespiratory health. In contrast, sexual dysfunction in diabetic women was linked to depression and social or psychological factors.
- Or lets consider diabetic nephropathy (one of the complications of diabetes). There is higher mortality in women with diabetic nephropathy. However, diabetic men appear to develop diabetic nephropathy progressively faster and require dialysis, as a result.
- Gestational diabetes is a risk factor for diabetes specifically in women. Women who have had gestational diabetes have a 70% increased risk of developing diabetes.
- Body mass index is a strong risk factor for diabetic women. Women with diabetes are more obese than the diabetic men.
With women showing a distinct pattern in developing diabetes as compared with men, the report concludes that the female gender and sex-related functions need to be evaluated when the risk factors are examined for type 2 diabetes.
So, for any analysis or evaluation, women should be categorized based on their menstruation stage, pregnancy, tolerability to drugs, and age. These aspects will help in creating a comprehensive result for identifying risk to develop type 2 diabetes.
To know more about the different aspects in which women differ from men in the development of diabetes, please click on the source link.
*Glycemic index: The carbohydrates in different foods are ranked based on how they influence the levels of blood sugar in the blood. (Ref: www.glycemicindex.com)
