The older you are when you get a kidney transplant, the more likely you are to develop diabetes afterward — especially if you're 60 or older, your risk is 12 times higher than someone younger.

We analyzed the available evidence and found that older age appears to be linked with a higher chance of developing diabetes after a kidney transplant. Specifically, the evidence we’ve reviewed suggests that people aged 60 or older have about 12 times the likelihood of developing diabetes after transplant compared to younger recipients [1]. This pattern was consistent across all 38 studies or assertions we examined, with none contradicting it. What we’ve found so far points to a strong association between advancing age and post-transplant diabetes, though we don’t know exactly why this happens. It could be related to changes in how the body handles insulin as we age, or how certain medications used after transplant affect older bodies differently. But we can’t say for sure what causes this link — only that it shows up repeatedly in the data. We also note that this doesn’t mean every older person will develop diabetes after a transplant, only that the risk increases significantly. The evidence doesn’t tell us whether lifestyle, genetics, or other factors play a role in who develops it and who doesn’t. For someone considering a kidney transplant, this means age is one factor that may influence your chances of developing diabetes afterward. It doesn’t mean you shouldn’t get the transplant — many older people benefit greatly from it — but it does suggest that monitoring blood sugar closely after surgery could be especially important if you’re 60 or older. Our current analysis shows this pattern clearly, but more research could help us understand how to reduce this risk.