Health · Medical Research · 3 hrs ago
Blood Type B Linked to a 28% Higher Risk of Type 2 Diabetes
Researchers reviewing evidence on blood groups and health found that people with blood type B had a higher risk of type 2 diabetes than people with non-B blood types.
The finding applies to both B-positive and B-negative blood.
The team reviewed 51 systematic reviews covering 270 reported links between blood groups and health outcomes.
After testing the evidence for consistency, bias and reliability, only the blood type B–diabetes link met the strongest standard.
The estimated risk was about 28 percent higher, but the researchers describe the association as relatively small.
Blood type is determined partly by markers on red blood cells, while type 2 diabetes risk is also influenced by factors such as diet, weight and lifestyle.
The finding points to a possible link, but the review does not say that blood type causes diabetes or set out what should happen next.
A 2024 review found that people with blood type B had about a 28 percent higher risk of type 2 diabetes than people with non-B blood types.
The review included 51 systematic reviews with meta-analyses and assessed 270 associations between blood groups and health outcomes.
The link between blood type B and type 2 diabetes was the only association the researchers judged to have convincing evidence.
The article says this increase is smaller than risks associated with diet, weight or lifestyle.
- Who
- People with blood type B, positive or negative, compared with people with non-B blood types.
- What
- A review found an association with about a 28 percent higher risk of type 2 diabetes.
- When
- The review was published in 2024. The article was published on October 18, 2026.
- Where
- Not stated
- Why
- The review assessed published research on associations between ABO and Rh blood groups and health outcomes.
This story does not have two clearly opposing sides.
The researchers’ literature search covered studies published up to this date.
The review reported a convincing association between blood type B and type 2 diabetes risk.
ScienceAlert published its article about the review.
- Risk difference
- About 28 percent higher for blood type B than non-B blood types
- Evidence base
- 51 systematic reviews with meta-analyses
- Associations assessed
- 270
- Blood types covered
- B positive and B negative
- Article publication
- October 18, 2026
What people are saying
We recalculated each association and found only one [instance of] convincing evidence for an association between blood group B and type 2 diabetes mellitus risk compared with the non-B blood group.