Social network and development of prediabetes and type 2 diabetes in middle-aged Swedish women and men

Aim: Explore if social network affects development of prediabetes and type 2 diabetes.

Methods: Individuals with normal glucose tolerance at baseline, 2924 women and 2039 men, aged 35-56 years, were followed-up 8-10 years later by an oral glucose tolerance test. Prediabetes and type 2 diabetes was then evident in 168 and 50 women and in 236 and 93 men, respectively. Measures of social network (AVSI-index (availability of social integration), civil status and participation in social activities), recorded by questionnaire at baseline, were evaluated by logistic regression.

Results: Having AVSI scores in the highest tertile was associated with a decreased risk to develop type 2 diabetes in women (age-adjusted odds ratio 0.41 [95% CI: 0.19-0.88]) less significant after full adjustment (0.50 [0.22-1.16]). Contrary, in men AVSI was associated with an increased risk to develop type 2 diabetes (1.93 [1.03-3.60]) after full adjustment. Participation in social activities decreased the risk to develop prediabetes and type 2 diabetes in women, (age-adjusted 0.65 [0.46-0.91] and 0.43 [0.24-0.77], respectively), less significant when adjusted for confounders (0.78 [0.54-1.12] and 0.59 [0.31-1.13]). In men a decreased risk was observed for prediabetes (0.59 [0.43-0.82] multi-adjusted model). Being married or living with a partner decreased type 2 diabetes risk only in men (0.57 [0.33-0.97] and 0.61 [0.34-1.08] age- and multi-adjusted models, respectively).

Conclusions: Individuals having a social network seemed less likely to develop abnormal glucose regulation. Contradictory to an overall protective pattern of having a social network, high AVSI-index in men increased the risk to develop type 2 diabetes.