1

Is There an Association Between Age and Plasma Glucose Concentration?

Introduction

Diabetes is a prevalent chronic metabolic disorder that affects millions of individuals

worldwide. It is a significant public health concern that can lead to several complications,

including cardiovascular disease, neuropathy, and retinopathy. The disease is characterized by

elevated blood sugar levels resulting from the body's inability to produce or use insulin effectively.

In recent years, researchers have become increasingly interested in studying different aspects of

diabetes, from its prevalence to its impact on various populations.

The existing literature on the topic of diabetes provides some information on the

relationship between age and plasma glucose concentration, but current studies still lack a

profound discussion of this issue. Studies have shown that aging is somehow associated with

plasma glucose concentration in patients with diabetes. According to Adak and Upadhyay’s (2022)

cross-sectional study, there can be a significant correlation between patients’ age and glycated

hemoglobin levels with reference to the Nepalese population. Thus, older patients have higher

levels of glucose in the blood, likely due to the age-related decline in insulin sensitivity. Studying

non-diabetic individuals, Ko, Wai, and Tang (2020) also found that plasma glucose levels tend to

increase with age. Guo et al. (2022) stated that diabetes is one of the widely spread conditions

among older populations depending on the age factor, but they did not measure plasma glucose

levels. From this perspective, age should be taken into consideration when it comes to predicting

or managing diabetes and associated outcomes.

 2

Other researchers focused on the connection between age, diabetes, and complications.

Chia, Egan, and Ferrucci (2021) concentrated on researching how aging and diabetes can be

associated with developing cardiovascular diseases. The researchers found that body composition

and processes change with age, influencing glucose metabolism and insulin resistance, as well as

provoking cardiovascular diseases. Nanayakkara et al. (2021) also focused on examining

complications associated with diabetes, and they stated that diabetes can lead to critical

consequences at any age, increasing risks of vascular diseases. In their turn, Markovič et al. (2022)

found that there are clear age-related trends in changes in glucose levels, but the researchers did

not focus on studying this correlation. Thus, some studies have found that older patients have a

higher risk of developing critical diabetes-related conditions and complications compared to

younger patients, and other studies have provided general conclusions. As a result, there is a gap

in the studies associated with the lack of research into the relationship between individuals’ age

and plasma glucose concentration.

Research Question Restatement

The review of the literature on the selected topic indicates that there is a gap in research

and the lack of information on the correlation between age and plasma glucose concentration

levels. The purpose of this study is to examine whether there is an association between the age

factor and diabetes. Therefore, the research question is following: Is there an association between

age and plasma glucose concentration in patients with diabetes?

Hypothesis

A null hypothesis for this study should be developed based on the assumption that there is

no relationship between the variables: There is no association between Age and Diabetes. An

alternate hypothesis assumes any correlation between the variables: There is an association
 3

between Age and Diabetes. Two hypotheses should be tested in order to answer the stated research

question.

Significance of the issue

Age is an important factor to consider when examining diabetes, as older patients have

been found to have higher levels of glucose in the blood, likely due to age-related decline in insulin

sensitivity. The association between age and plasma glucose concentration in individuals is

significant to be researched because such a study can provide insights into how age can be a factor

in developing diabetes. Additionally, understanding the relationship between age and plasma

glucose concentration levels can help identify particular risk factors associated with aging (Adak

& Upadhyay, 2022). Thus, more research is needed to understand the correlation between age and

diabetes development and management, including connections with insulin sensitivity, glycemic

control, and the potential for complications. This knowledge can help clinicians develop more

effective strategies for glucose monitoring and treating diabetes, and ultimately improve the

quality of life for those with the condition, avoiding complications.

Methodology

This study included a sample of 280 participants who were recruited from a community

health center in the United States. The inclusion criteria for the study were individuals between

the ages of 18 and 65 years who had been diagnosed with diabetes and had a plasma glucose

concentration of 200 mg/dl or higher. The participants were divided into two age groups: young

adults (18-39 years) and middle-aged adults (40-65 years).

 4

The data was collected through a survey questionnaire that included questions related to

demographics, medical history, and lifestyle factors. Plasma glucose concentration was measured

using a blood test. Age was self-reported by the participants. Data collection was conducted by

trained research assistants who followed standardized protocols.

Descriptive statistics were calculated for the variables of interest, including mean, standard

deviation, maximum, and minimum. The normality of the data was assessed using histograms.

Correlation analysis was performed to examine the strength and direction of the relationship

between age and plasma glucose concentration. Pearson's correlation coefficient was used since

both age and plasma glucose concentration were continuous variables and both age and diabetes

were normally distributed. A two-tailed p-value of less than .05 was considered statistically

significant. This type of analysis can provide insight into potential relationships between variables

and help guide further research or interventions. All statistical analyzes were conducted using

SPSS version 28.

Results

Statistical analysis steps

The statistical analysis was performed using SPSS version 28. Initially, the

USW1_PUBH_6033_Final_Project_Datasets was uploaded. Then, the descriptive

natures of both the dependent and the independent variables was explored using the

following steps: >Analyze > Descriptive Statistics > Frequencies; mean, standard

deviation, maximum, and minimum were checked under Statistics dialogue, histogram

with normal curve were checked under Charts dialogue box to visualize the data; then
 5

OK. Finally, correlation analysis was performed (since Age and Diabetes are both scale

variable) using the following steps: >Analyze > Correlate > Bivariate; Age and Diabetes

were moved under the variables; Pearson’s correlation, and Flag significant correlation

were also checked before hitting OK.

Finding

There are 280 valid cases of participants. Table 1 shows that their mean age is 42.92 years

with a standard deviation of 13.55 years which ranges from 18 to 65 years. Also, the

average diabetes level is 153.81 mg/dl with standard deviation of 65.89mg/dl which

ranges from 50mg/dl to 288mg/dl. Moreover, the histogram shows that age (Figure 1)

and diabetes (Figure 2) have approximately normal distribution. Finally, the correlation

(table 2) between age and diabetes is weakly negative and does not show a statistically

significant association, r (278) = -.008, p = .892. Thus, there is not enough evidence to

support that the association between age and diabetes is significant.

Table 1

Descriptive statistics of the variables

Statistics
Plasma glucose
concentration
(Diabetes: >= 200
Age (18-65 years) mg/dl)
N Valid 280 280
Missing 0 0
Mean 42.92 153.81
Std. Deviation 13.553 65.893
Minimum 18 50
 6

Table 2

Correlations

Plasma
glucose
concentra
Age (18-65 tion
years) (Diabetes
: >= 200
mg/dl)
Age (18-65 years) Pearson Correlation 1 -.008
Sig. (2-tailed) .892
N 280 280
Plasma glucose Pearson Correlation -.008 1
concentration

Figure 1 Figure 2

Histogram of variable age Histogram of variable diabetes

Conclusion

The present study aims to investigate the relationship between age and diabetes among a

sample of 280 participants. The results showed that the mean age of the participants was 42.92

years, with a standard deviation of 13.55 years. The average diabetes level was 153.81 mg/dl, with

a standard deviation of 65.89 mg/dl. The histogram revealed that both age and diabetes had an

approximately normal distribution.

 7

However, the correlation analysis revealed that there was a weakly negative association

between age and diabetes, and it was not statistically significant, r (278) = -.008, p = .892.

Therefore, the study did not provide enough evidence to support the association between age and

diabetes.

Discussion

These findings have important implications for public health research, policy, and practice.

While age is commonly considered a significant risk factor for diabetes, the results of this study

suggest that age alone may not be a strong predictor of diabetes. This highlights the need for more

comprehensive assessments that include other risk factors, such as genetics, lifestyle factors, and

comorbidities, to better predict and prevent diabetes.

Moreover, the study has important social change implications for the population that was

sampled from. The findings can inform healthcare providers and policy makers about the

importance of comprehensive risk assessments and individualized prevention strategies, especially

for those at higher risk for diabetes. Future research can build on these findings by exploring the

complex interplay between age and other risk factors for diabetes. Studies can explore early

detection and intervention's role in preventing or delaying diabetes in high-risk populations.

 8

References

Adak, M., & Upadhyay, H. P. (2022). Influence of aging on HbA1C: A cross-sectional study on

diabetic population attending a tertiery care center of Central Nepal. Journal of College of

Medical Sciences-Nepal, 18(3), 227-234. https://doi.org/10.3126/jcmsn.v18i3.45504

Chia, C. W., Egan, J. M., & Ferrucci, L. (2021). Age-related changes in glucose metabolism,

hyperglycemia, and cardiovascular risk. Circulation Research, 123(7), 886-904.

Guo, J., Huang, X., Dou, L., Yan, M., Shen, T., Tang, W., & Li, J. (2022). Aging and aging-related

diseases: From molecular mechanisms to interventions and treatments. Signal

Transduction and Targeted Therapy, 7(1), 391. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41392-022-

01251-0

Ko, G. T., Wai, H. P., & Tang, J. S. (2020). Effects of age on plasma glucose levels in non-diabetic

Hong Kong Chinese. Croatian Medical Journal, 47(5), 709-713.

Markovič, R., Grubelnik, V., Vošner, H. B., Kokol, P., Završnik, M., Janša, K., ... & Marhl, M.

(2022). Age-related changes in lipid and glucose levels associated with drug use and

mortality: An observational study. Journal of Personalized Medicine, 12(2), 280-298.

https://doi.org/10.3390/jpm12020280

Nanayakkara, N., Curtis, A. J., Heritier, S., Gadowski, A. M., Pavkov, M. E., Kenealy, T., ... &

Zoungas, S. (2021). Impact of age at type 2 diabetes mellitus diagnosis on mortality and

vascular complications: Systematic review and meta-analyses. Diabetologia, 64, 275-287.

https://doi.org/10.1007/s00125-020-05319-w