According to a latest research study depression and diabetes go hand in hand. Depressed people are at a higher risk of developing type II diabetes and vice versa. The research study shows a two way relationship between depression and diabetes. Not only depression leads to diabetes but even diabetes can lead to depression.

How was the Research Conducted?

Under the guidance of Dr. Sherita Hill Golden, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore this research study was conducted. The research was conducted on ethnically diverse group of 5000 women and men ranging between the age group of 45-84 years. The research continued for about 3 years.

At the end of the study researchers found that the risk of developing diabetes was 42% more in people with symptoms of depression. The risk of developing of diabetes was equally proportional to the severity of depression symptoms.

When researchers statistically accounted for various diabetes causing factors like lack of physical activity, obesity and smoking, they found that people with depression were still 34% more susceptible to diabetes. The results of this research study were published in the Journal of the American Medical Association.

What Researchers Say:

Dr. Sherita in a telephonic interview said that: “When we looked at the people in our study who had elevated symptoms of depression, they were more likely to eat more calories, they exercised less, and they were more likely to be current smokers. And as a consequence, they were also more obese.” She further added that it was observed that depression elevates the level of stress hormone like cortisol.

She also said that: “And those are all known risk factors for type 2 diabetes. So it seems that some of the adverse health behaviors associated with depressive symptoms were an important component of that relationship (between diabetes and depression).”

Link between Diabetes and Depression:

Besides both the diseases starting with the alphabet “D” researcher study has found various factors linking both the diseases together. The characteristic symptom of diabetes is elevated blood sugar levels. The level of blood sugar increases because the body becomes resistant to the effect of insulin.

Elevated level of cortisol can weaken insulin sensitivity in the body. It also enhances the accumulation of fat in the belly region hence contributing to the risk of developing diabetes. Researchers also measured the risk of depression development among people suffering from diabetes. Researchers excluded people already suffering from depression so as to find the interlinking between the two diseases.

Researchers found that people already being treated for diabetes were 54% more susceptible to develop depression symptoms. Evidences that depression can trigger diabetes are becoming stronger. According to the research study published last year in the journal Archives of Internal Medicine led by Mercedes Carnethon, Northwestern University, Chicago found that people more than 65 years and suffering form depression were more likely to develop diabetes. Mercedes Carnethon participated in the latest research conducted by Dr. Sherita.

Source: MSNBC