Study Finds Marital Status and Quality May Affect Blood Sugar Levels

e Study Finds Marital Status and Quality May Affect Blood Sugar Levels
Excerpt: A recent study published in the journal BMJ Open Diabetes Research & Care has found that people who live with a partner have a higher possibility of maintaining lower blood sugar levels, regardless of the quality of their relationship. The data used for the study was on 3,335 adults aged 50 to 89 years old without previously diagnosed diabetes.
Score: The study, conducted by a team of researchers from Luxembourg and Canada, used biomarker data from the English Longitudinal Study of Ageing (ELSA) to investigate if there was an association between marital status and marital quality with average glycemic levels in older adults. The data showed that those who experienced marital transitions, such as divorce, experienced significant changes in their HbA1c levels and odds of pre-diabetes. However, it was found that the quality of the relationship did not make a significant difference to the average levels of blood glucose, suggesting that just having a relationship was more important. The researchers concluded that increased support for older adults who have lost a marital/cohabitating relationship may be beneficial for addressing health risks associated with marital transitions.