Diabetes is a chronic disease that arises because the pancreas does not synthesize the amount of insulin that the human body needs, produces it of an inferior quality, or is not able to use it effectively.
More than 30 million Americans (9% of the US population) have diabetes. The prevalence of diabetes increases with age, with a prevalence of 25.2% in people 65 years of age and older. Type 2 diabetes is the most common type, accounting for 90% of all cases diagnosed in adults.
Obesity, family history of diabetes, race, and physical inactivity are important risk factors for diabetes, but they are not the only determinants. Accumulating evidence supports the fact that depression is also associated with an increased risk of diabetes. Additionally, high levels of hostility have been associated with high fasting glucose levels, insulin resistance, and prevalent diabetes.
Taking into account the above, discover if personality can really be a risk factor for developing diabetes .
What is the diabetes?
Diabetes occurs when the level of glucose in the blood, also known as blood sugar, is too high. On the other hand, insulin, a hormone produced by the pancreas, helps glucose from food enter cells to be used for energy. Sometimes the body doesn't make enough or no insulin, or it just doesn't use it properly, and the glucose stays in the blood and doesn't reach the cells.
Over time, too much glucose in the blood can cause health problems. Although there is no cure for diabetes, a person with diabetes can take steps to control their disease and stay healthy.
At present, Diabetes sufferers have many natural health products within their reach, as well as very good diets that help improve blood sugar regulation and at the same time reduce risk factors for kidney failure, nerve damage, blindness, and cardiovascular events, such as strokes and heart attacks.
Is there a relationship between personality and diabetes?
A study was done with the aim of seeing if personality traits, including optimism, negativity and hostility, were associated with the risk of developing type 2 diabetes in postmenopausal women. The study continued to explore whether the association could be mediated by behavioral pathways, such as diet, physical activity, smoking, or high alcohol consumption.
The study followed 139,924 postmenopausal women who did not have diabetes at the start of the study. During 14 years of follow-up, 19,240 cases of type 2 diabetes were identified. Compared with women in the lowest quadrant of optimism (least optimistic), women in the highest quadrant (most optimistic) had a 12% lower risk of incident diabetes.
On the other hand, compared to women in the lowest quadrant with negative emotional expressiveness or hostility, women in the highest quadrant had a 9% and 17% higher risk of diabetes, respectively. Also, the association of hostility with diabetes risk was stronger in women who were not obese compared to women who were.
As a result, the study concluded that low optimism, high negativity, and hostility were associated with an increased risk of diabetes in postmenopausal women , regardless of major health behaviors and depressive symptoms.
Can having diabetes influence mental health?
The combination of psychological disorders and diabetes is especially harmful because it can have a negative impact on psychosocial and medical outcomes. Also, among patients with type 2 diabetes, Those with depressive symptoms tend to become stressed more easily, which leads to an increase in the negativity of the person, which in turn, causes the affected person to end up seeing their behavior and mood modified.
Depression and anxiety can also lead to other seemingly unrelated health problems. There is even a specific personality trait attributed to Type 2 diabetes , known as Type D or "distressed personality." Type 2 diabetic patients with the Type D personality feel increasingly lonely. Also, it increases stress and emotional distress as they suppress your emotions.
References
- The North American Menopause Society. (2019). Your personality could put you at greater risk for developing diabetes. For ScienceDaily. [Revised February 2019].
