Association between Social Relationship and Glycemic Control among Older Japanese: JAGES Cross-Sectional Study

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Abstract
The present study examined whether social support, informal socializing and social participation are associated with glycemic control in older people. Data for this population-based cross-sectional study was obtained from the Japan Gerontological Evaluation Study (JAGES) 2010 linked to the annual health check-up data in Japan. We analyzed 9,554 individuals aged ≥65 years without the certification of needed long-term care. Multivariate logistic regression models were used to assess the effect of social support, informal socializing and social participations on glycemic control. The outcome measure was HbA1c ≥8.4%. 1.3% of the participants had a level of HbA1c over 8.4%. Better glycemic control was significantly associated with meeting with friends one to four times per month (odds ratio [OR] 0.51, 95% confidence interval [CI]0.30–0.89, compared to meeting with friends a few times per year or less) and participation in sports groups (OR 0.50, 95% CI 0.26–0.97) even after adjusting for other variables. Meeting with friends more than twice per week, receiving social support, and being married were not associated with better control of diabetes. Meeting with friends occasionally is associated with better glycemic control among older people.
Funding Information
  • Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare (JP) (Health Labour Sciences Research Grant, Comprehensive Research on Aging and Health (H22-Choju-Shitei-008, H24-Junkanki(Syosyu)-Ippan-007, H24-Chikyukibo-Ippan-009, H24-Choju-Wakate-009, H25-Kenki-Wakate-015, H25-Choju-Ippan-003, H26-Irryo-Shitei-003(Fukkou),H26-Choju-Ippan-006))
  • Japan Society for the Promotion of Science (Grant-in-Aid for Scientific Research(KAKENHI) (22330172, 22390400, 23243070, 23590786, 23790710, 24390469, 24530698, 24683018, 25253052, 25870573, 25870881))
  • National Center for Geriatrics and Gerontology, Japan (24-17, 24-23, J09KF00804)
  • Japan Agency for Medical Research and Development

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