Type II diabetes is more common among low-income families

Birth in a low-income family can affect health in later life. The study found that low-income people are more likely to develop Type II diabetes than their more affluent peers. Previously, the reason for this phenomenon was not clear. A new study provided a clue and confirmed that genetics plays an important role in this disease. Scientists have been able to prove that socio-economic status is determined by genes, which ultimately leads to an increased risk of type II diabetes.

Type II diabetes mellitus, which usually develops in adults rather than children, occurs when the body’s cells stop responding to insulin. The disease is associated with overweight and physical inactivity, but studies have shown that people who have experienced socioeconomic problems in childhood tend to have a higher risk of developing the disease later in life, even when they do not suffer from obesity and unhealthy diets. Scientists wanted to determine why poverty in childhood leads to such consequences in the future. Scientists have studied data on more than 10,000 people between 1991 and 2009. Every six years, all participants underwent a survey and scientists identified those who developed type II diabetes. Scientists also took blood samples for analysis on the content of basic proteins. To collect socio-economic data, scientists asked participants to indicate their positions, education and professions of their parents in the questionnaires. There were almost two times more participants with an overall low socio-economic indicator and prone to developing type II diabetes during the study than those whose rates were high. In addition, people whose life paths either began or ended in a lower class had an increased risk of developing diabetes.

It is typical diabetes risk factors, such as overweight, low physical activity and poor nutrition, that are associated with socioeconomic status. People who were in a more unfavorable position had high levels of protein in their blood. At the same time, obesity, physical inactivity, smoking and unhealthy diets certainly contribute to the development of chronic inflammation, but the study notes that these lifestyle factors are not the only ones. Stress associated with financial problems and living in poor and insecure areas can also contribute to inflammatory processes that worsen with age. This finding may indicate new approaches to solving the problem associated with the growth of type II diabetes. Previous studies have not been so convincing, because type II diabetes is a very complex disease. Scientists need additional research to determine the role of the inflammatory process in type II diabetes mellitus.