Menopause a negligible factor in women's diabetes risk, study finds

Many women worry that they may develop diabetes and may have to buy Actos to control their blood sugar after going through menopause. However, a new study has shown that this hormonal shift has little to do with a woman's diabetes risk.

Previous evidence has suggested that postmenopausal women may be at greater risk for developing diabetes because they have higher levels of testosterone, which is known to be a risk factor for the condition. However, the University of Michigan researchers who conducted the present study found that this actually plays a very small factor in a woman's chances of developing the metabolic condition.

For the study, the researchers examined the medical records of 1,237 women. They found that those who had already gone through menopause were at no greater risk of developing diabetes than those who had not.

The team said that lifestyle factors such as diet and physical activity are more the reason why older women tend to develop diabetes. They said that doctors should counsel their female patients on eating healthier and getting more exercise. This may limit their risk of needing to buy Actos to control their blood sugar.