Work-related stress can raise diabetes risk by 45 percent, study says

Individuals who experience high levels of workplace stress are about 45 percent more likely to develop type 2 diabetes than those who have less taxing jobs, according to research published in the journal Psychosomatic Medicine.

When these people also feel like they have little control over the tasks they perform at work, diabetes risk is higher than normal, the researchers reported.

More studies are beginning to show the impact that lifestyle and environmental factors have on diabetes risk - a study published earlier this year found that night workers have a higher risk of developing type 2 diabetes than people who work during the day.

Prevention of stress-related disorders

According to study author Prof. Karl-Heinz Ladwig, about one in five people are affected by high levels of mental stress at the workplace. When combined with the inability to have decision-making power, the stress can lead to increased disease risk, regardless of other factors such as obesity, gender, or age.

The study included more than 5,300 employed individuals between 29 and 66 who were part of the MONICA/KORA cohort study in Germany. At the study's beginning, none of the participants had diabetes. After an average of 13 years, nearly 300 people were diagnosed with type 2 diabetes. Work-related stress was pinpointed as a high risk factor independent of other common risk factors.

Given that work-related stress can play a key role in the development of widespread diseases in Germany, the researchers said, new approaches in diagnosing and treating diabetes should include stress assessments.

"In view of the huge health implications of stress-related disorders, preventive measures to prevent common diseases such as diabetes should therefore also begin at this point," Ladwig said.

Source: Helmholtz Zentrum Muenchen - German Research Centre for Environmental Health

Get a Free Diabetes Meal Plan

Get a free 7-Day Diabetes Meal Plan from Constance Brown-Riggs who is a Registered Dietitian-Certified Diabetes Educator and who is also a national spokesperson for the American Dietetic Association.

Just enter in your email below to download your free Diabetes Meal Plan.

By clicking Submit, you agree to send your info to BattleDiabetes.com who, in addition to 3rd party partners, may contact you with updates, products and information and we agree to use it according to our privacy policy and terms and conditions.

More Articles

More Articles

For decades people with type-1 and advanced type-2 diabetes relied on painful and often flawed insulin injections to regulate blood sugar...

Scientists have discovered that a single gene forms a common link between type 2 diabetes and...

Natural supplements like cinnamon extract and apple cider vinegar could hold the key to lowering blood sugar levels, according to a recent...

Natural supplements like cinnamon extract and apple cider vinegar could hold the key to lowering blood sugar levels, according to a recent...

Could a person's risk for type 2 diabetes be written in their genes?

According to a study recently published in ...

Women who frequently shift around their sleeping hours could have worse metabolic health outcomes than their peers who stick with a...

The presence of the hormone leptin may hinder prenatal development, which could explain the origin of type 2 diabetes, according to...

An analysis of fossilized Native American feces shows that our ancestors ate up to sixteen times the fiber that we do today, but our...

Managing diabetes is hugely challenging for people of any age, but a new study suggests that young people may suffer all the more....

Disruptions to the gut’s ecosystem could be a future symptom facing young children who take antibiotics, which makes them more susceptible...

Breastfeeding a newborn holds many benefits for mommy and baby; it reduces the baby's risk for colds and viruses, it helps his bones (and yours)...

Fans of the Dexcom G5 Mobile have something to smile about.

At yesterday's hearing with the U.S. Food and Drug...

If you start your day with a cup of tea and end it with a glass of red wine, your blood sugar may thank you.

At least that...

As medical experts continue to debate whether or not "healthy obesity" can even exist, one new study suggests that risk for heart disease...

For years, type 1 diabetics have been anxiously waiting for that medical marvel that can stop the constant injections: the artificial...