Yokobayashi, KenichiKawachi, IchiroKondo, KatsunoriKondo, NaokiNagamine, YuikoTani, YukakoShirai, KokoroTazuma, Susumu2017-02-182017Yokobayashi, Kenichi, Ichiro Kawachi, Katsunori Kondo, Naoki Kondo, Yuiko Nagamine, Yukako Tani, Kokoro Shirai, and Susumu Tazuma. 2017. “Association between Social Relationship and Glycemic Control among Older Japanese: JAGES Cross-Sectional Study.” PLoS ONE 12 (1): e0169904. doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0169904. http://dx.doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0169904.1932-6203http://nrs.harvard.edu/urn-3:HUL.InstRepos:30371125Aim The present study examined whether social support, informal socializing and social participation are associated with glycemic control in older people. Methods: Data for this population-based cross-sectional study was obtained from the Japan Gerontological Evaluation Study (JAGES) 2010 linked to the annual health check-up data in Japan. We analyzed 9,554 individuals aged ≥65 years without the certification of needed long-term care. Multivariate logistic regression models were used to assess the effect of social support, informal socializing and social participations on glycemic control. The outcome measure was HbA1c ≥8.4%. Results: 1.3% of the participants had a level of HbA1c over 8.4%. Better glycemic control was significantly associated with meeting with friends one to four times per month (odds ratio [OR] 0.51, 95% confidence interval [CI]0.30–0.89, compared to meeting with friends a few times per year or less) and participation in sports groups (OR 0.50, 95% CI 0.26–0.97) even after adjusting for other variables. Meeting with friends more than twice per week, receiving social support, and being married were not associated with better control of diabetes. Conclusions: Meeting with friends occasionally is associated with better glycemic control among older people.en-USMedicine and Health SciencesEndocrinologyEndocrine DisordersDiabetes MellitusMetabolic DisordersBiology and Life SciencesPhysiologyPhysiological ProcessesEatingMedicine and health sciencesDiagnostic medicineDiabetes diagnosis and managementHbA1cBiology and life sciencesBiochemistryProteinsHemoglobinPsychologyCollective Human BehaviorInterpersonal RelationshipsSocial SciencesSociologyEducationEducational AttainmentPublic and Occupational HealthBehavioral and Social Aspects of HealthPeople and PlacesGeographical LocationsAsiaJapanComputer and Information SciencesNetwork AnalysisSocial NetworksJournal Article2017-02-1810.1371/journal.pone.0169904