People more likely to develop diabetes after having COVID-19, research finds

6 April, 2022

Interview by Christina Huang, adapted by Jessica Hopkins

AUT Professor Marcus Jones said that increased diabetes risk is one of a growing number of issues that may affect people after having COVID-19. Photo: Unsplash. 

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New research has shown that people who have had COVID-19 are 40% more likely to develop diabetes than those who have never had the virus. 

AUT Professor Marcus Jones told Christina Huang on 95bFM's The Wire that a US study of almost 200,000 people found that even people with mild COVID-19 infections and no previous risk factors for diabetes had increased odds of developing the chronic condition up to a year later.

Those already susceptible to the disease are even more likely to develop diabetes in the months after having COVID. 

Researchers found the chance of developing diabetes rose with the increasing severity of COVID, and people who were hospitalised or admitted to intensive care were roughly triple the risk.

Almost all cases studied were Type 2, where the body resists or does not produce enough antibodies.  

Jones said that this is one of a growing number of issues that may affect people after having COVID-19. 

"Long COVID, which shares symptoms similar to chronic fatigue syndrome, is expected to affect around 1 in 10 people who catch COVID."

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