Is it true?
Could diabetes be contagious?
According to an article published in Diabetes Care, it seems like it kind of is—at least for pregnant couples.
The study found that partners of pregnant women who develop gestational diabetes are more likely to develop type 2 diabetes, themselves, later on in life.
In fact, the results were so statistically significant that the authors are suggesting for it to be listed as a risk factor for type 2 diabetes!
The researchers collected the medical records of pregnant women from hospitals in Quebec, Canada and separated them into two groups: those with gestational diabetes and those without. In all, they reviewed over 70,000 patients.
The results showed that 5.2% of the fathers from the group of women with gestational diabetes developed type 2 diabetes, compared to 3.9% of fathers from the other group.
Unbelievably, this is the first study of its kind. However, previous research has already shown that there is a shared risk of type 2 diabetes between couples.
Because it would be quite the medical breakthrough to claim that diabetes is downright contagious, there is obviously a bit more to it than that.
It is believed that gestational diabetes develops due to some reaction on the mother’s part to her pregnancy hormones, causing an increased resistance to insulin. That, alone, cannot possibly cause diabetes in another person, coupled-up or not.
Instead, the authors of the study remind the readers that type 2 diabetes is the result of a certain lifestyle. If the mother-to-be has developed diabetes, it is very likely that her lifestyle choices are to blame for her diagnosis.
And her partner likely shares the same lifestyle.
So, no: diabetes is not contagious, per se. But the lifestyle sure is, and as far as type 2 diabetes goes, that seems to be all that matters.
[expand title=”References“]
Medical Daily. URL Link. Accessed April 5, 2017.
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