Muilwijk M, Bolijn R, Galenkamp H, et al. - Gender-related characteristics, being the primary earner and a higher desired social support were linked to decreased type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) risk, and this was not mediated by known risk factors for T2DM.

• The multi-ethnic HELIUS study (Amsterdam, the Netherlands) included 9,605 women and 7,080 males.

• Cox regression was used to investigate the relationships between gender-related characteristics and incident T2DM.

• T2DM was diagnosed in 198 (2.1%) women and 137 (1.9%) men after a median of 3.0 years.

• Those who were not the primary earner had a lower risk of T2DM and a higher desired level of social support.

• Hours spent on household chores, home repairs, kind of employment, and male- or female-dominated occupation were not linked with T2DM incidence.

• There was no evidence of effect modification by biological sex or ethnicity.

• The observed connections were not mediated by known T2DM risk factors.