According to a new study published in the European Heart Journal, people with diabetes who live alone are more likely to develop other pathologiessuch as heart disease, compared to a healthy person.
More than 18,000 people with diabetes, between 37 and 73 years old, were studied according to the UK Biobank database, for 10 years. None had cardiovascular problems at the start. They were asked to answer questionnaires to understand how they were surrounded. They were then classified into different groups according to their degree of social isolation : those who lived alone, those whose family and friends came less than once a month, and those who participated in a social activity less than once a week.
Social isolation may contribute to the development of comorbidities
After 10 years, the researchers counted 3,247 people with cardiovascular disease. And by studying their profiles, they came to the conclusion that the most isolated group had a 26% increased risk of developing this comorbidity. The intermediate group had an 11% additional risk, compared to the less isolated group.
Whether the impact of loneliness is still moderate compared to other factors such as body mass index (BMI), cholesterol or kidney problems in the occurrence of cardiovascular disease, researchers note that it can play a role, or even worsen the physical condition of people with diabetes.
Source : European Heart Journal
