Marrying a diabetic could increase your chances of developing the condition, according to new research. A study found that the spouses of people with type 2 diabetes are 26 per cent more likely to develop the condition themselves. The findings were published in the journal BMC Medicine.

However, experts warn that men with a diabetic spouse are more likely to suffer from undetected diabetes and as a result should watch out for early signs. Dr Kaberi Dasgupta, from the McGill University Health Centre in Canada, said. ‘We found a 26 per cent increase in the risk of developing type 2 diabetes if your spouse also has type 2 diabetes.‘ This may be a platform to assist clinicians to develop strategies to involve both partners.

Recognizing shared risk between spouses may improve diabetes detection and motivate couples to increase collaborative efforts to optimize eating and physical activity habits.