title: Gender Dissimilarity in Type 2 Diabetes Risk Factors: a Chinese Study.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Gender has been identified as a significant factor that contributes to variations on unhealthy behavior engagement and disparity in health outcomes; however, gender dissimilarity in type 2 diabetes-related behavioral risks has not been fully understood in a non-Western social setting.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  Recognizing gender-specific behavioral risks of type 2 diabetes is important in improving the disease associated health outcomes and healthcare service. This study identifies gender-specific behavioral factors associated with type 2 diabetes diagnoses among middle-aged and older adults in a Chinese context.
  
  
  METHODS
  Data are selected from the China Health and Nutrition Survey (CHNS) 2009. There are 259 male cases and 280 female cases individually matched with their nondiabetic controls on age.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Higher level of total carbohydrate intake and physical inactivity is associated with a higher risk of type 2 diabetes diagnoses in both genders (p < .001). Odds ratios of type 2 diabetes diagnoses are higher only among male cigarette smokers and heavy alcohol drinkers.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  This study provides evidence regarding gender-specific behavioral risks of type 2 diabetes suggesting the need for improving type 2 diabetes related research, prevention, education, and healthcare services for middle-aged and older adults in China.
authors.affiliation: Department of Public Health Sciences, Clemson University, Clemson, SC, USA. tidypan2009@gmail.com.|Greenville Health System, Patewood Medical Campus, Center for Success in Aging, 255 Enterprise Blvd, Suite 101, Greenville, SC, 29615, USA. tidypan2009@gmail.com.
authors.forename: Xi
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Pan
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D044466:Asian People; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D002681:China; D003924:Diabetes Mellitus, Type 2 / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000209:etiology; D005260:Female; D006296:Health Services; D006306:Health Surveys; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D016017:Odds Ratio; D012307:Risk Factors
keywords: Behavioral risks; Case–control design; Gender; Middle-aged and older Chinese; Type 2 diabetes