4th Edition 2026

Older adults with prediabetes, low levels of education at highest risk for cardiovascular complications

Published on: Oct 06, 2025

A new study from the University at Buffalo, published in Aging-US, reveals that multiple social risk factors can worsen cardiovascular health in older adults with prediabetes. Led by Obinna Ekwunife, Ph.D., from the Jacobs School of Medicine and Biomedical Sciences at UB, the research analyzed data from over 5,000 adults aged 50 and older in the University of Michigan’s Health and Retirement Study. The findings show that limited education—particularly not completing high school—was the strongest predictor of poor outcomes across blood sugar, blood pressure, and cholesterol levels, even after accounting for other risks such as income or insurance status. Economic instability also emerged as a significant contributor to cardiovascular complications.

The study emphasizes that lower educational attainment can indirectly harm health by limiting income, increasing stress, reducing health literacy, and hindering access to care. To address these gaps, the authors recommend simplified, culturally tailored health education, community support programs, technology-based guidance, and policy interventions such as expanding Medicaid support for prediabetes.

Ekwunife concludes that clinicians should view social risks, especially low education, as active drivers of disease progression. He stresses that effective prediabetes management in older adults must go beyond medications and lifestyle advice—prioritizing communication, support, and equitable access to care.

Source: https://www.buffalo.edu/ubnow/stories/2025/10/ekwunife-aging-prediabetes.html

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