There were significant health disparities among adults 65 and older living in China with diabetes, a new study shows. Poor sleep habits were significant among all participants, the data showed.
A survey conducted in 2023 among people who were over the age of 65 in China looked at which factors affect healthy lifestyle scores (HLSs) — such as sleep, exercise, drinking, smoking and diet — in people who had diabetes. Researchers evaluated 5,451 eligible participants for the study. The report was published Wednesday in Scientific Reports.
Women, people with better cognitive function and social engagement, and those who were unemployed had higher HLSs, the researchers found. On the flip side, lower HLSs were significantly linked with having health complications, depression and higher income, and living farther away from major roads. The median HLS among participants was 2.99 out of a possible 5 points.
Of participants, 70.24% had high cognitive competence levels but 92.75% said they had experienced diabetes complications. Also, 42.25% had depressive symptoms and 58.78% had low social engagement, meaning a lack of social interactions. The number of participants who adhered to a healthy diet was 43.79%, while 58.65% engaged in regular physical activity, 88.94% abstained from drinking and 91.36% did not smoke, the data showed. Notably, just 14.71% of people in the study had healthy sleep habits.
In China, diabetes affects about 35.5 million individuals and only about 5.1% of this population sticks to a healthy lifestyle, the authors wrote.
The insurance plan a person has can be an obstacle for some people to stay healthy, the authors wrote. China has universal healthcare for most residents, though there are different types that the authors also evaluated. Nearly all had resident basic medical insurance.
“At the policy level, this study revealed that HLS was significantly associated with the type of health insurance, with insurance choices ultimately shaping both lifestyle behaviors and overall health,” the authors wrote.
