My husband, age 67, just found out he has type 1 diabetes. He also has Hashimoto’s thyroid condition. Is hot weather climate better or worse for people with diabetes? Do weather conditions have any bearing on blood sugar levels?

No, weather variations, either hot or cold, don’t affect blood sugar control significantly. However, the weather can change our eating and exercise habits, and these habits certainly do affect metabolic control.

MS

[Editor’s comment: Although diabetes isn’t directly affected by changes in the climate, the situation is different with respect to the thyroid gland. Its effects on the body’s metabolism are very differently perceived in different climates, if the thyroid gland is either overactive or underactive. And changes in the body’s metabolism due to the combination of altered thyroid function and altered climate hence could have considerable impact on the patient’s diabetes management. Be sure to encourage your spouse to get regular thyroid blood tests, to be absolutely sure his thyroid gland and/or thyroid medication are sufficient to keep his thyroid function normal, no matter what the climate.

WWQ]