Stress May Prompt Diabetes

Since the 1970s, a large population based cohort study has been undertaken at the Sahlgrenska Academy, University of Gothenburg (Sweden) to monitor the health of men born in Gothenburg between 1915 and 1925. Masuma Novak and colleagues utilized this data to observe that of the total sample, 6,828 men without any previous history of diabetes, coronary artery disease or stroke were analysed. A total of 899 of these men developed diabetes during the follow up.  The team found that those men who reported permanent stress had a 45% higher risk of developing diabetes, compared with men who reported to have no or periodic stress. The study authors conclude that: “Self-perceived permanent stress is an important long-term predictor of diagnosed diabetes, independently of socio-economic status, BMI and other conventional Type 2 diabetes risk factors.”