Depression Could Increase Risk Of Developing Type 2 Diabetes

For people already battling high blood pressure, unhealthy cholesterol levels and other metabolic conditions, depression could boost the risk of developing type 2 diabetes, according to a new study published in Molecular Psychiatry.

Previous studies have provided a link between type 2 diabetes and depression, but new research from McGill University, l'Université de Montréal, the Institut de recherches cliniques de Montréal and the University of Calgary suggests that when depression merges with metabolic risk factors the chances of developing type 2 diabetes increases dramatically.

"Emerging evidence suggests that not depression, per se, but depression in combination with behavioral and metabolic risk factors increases the risk of developing type 2 diabetes and cardiovascular conditions," said McGill University’s Norbert Schmitz, lead author of the study.

Evaluating characteristics

Schmitz and her cohorts looked at the characteristics of over 2,500 adults possessing both symptoms of depression and metabolic risk factors.

The researchers claim that in contrast to previous findings, their results did not reveal that depression alone places people at greater risk for developing type 2 diabetes. However, people with metabolic symptoms and depression were six times more likely to develop diabetes.

The study claims that people suffering from depression are not as likely to heed the advice of their doctors when it comes to working on their metabolic symptoms. When patients fail to listen to advice like eating a healthier diet or quitting smoking, metabolic symptoms get worse, which in turn leads to a more depressive state.

"Focussing on depression alone might not change lifestyle/metabolic factors, so people are still at an increased risk of developing poor health outcomes, which in turn increases the risk of developing recurrent depression," said Schmitz.

Source: McGill University