Tag : Loneliness

Washington: According to research, emotions of loneliness are associated with a dramatically increased risk of acquiring type 2 diabetes (T2D). The research, published in Diabetologia (the journal of the European Association for the Study of Diabetes [EASD]), was conducted by Associate Professor Roger E. Henriksen and his colleagues at Western Norway University of Applied Sciences. As well as examining the association between loneliness and the risk of developing T2D, it looked at whether depression and insomnia play a role. A growing body of research has pointed to a link between psychological stress and an individual's risk of developing T2D. Loneliness creates a chronic and sometimes long-lasting state of distress which may activate the body's physiological stress response. While the exact mechanisms are not fully understood, this response is believed to play a central role in the development of T2D through mechanisms such as temporary insulin resistance brought on by elevated levels of the stress hormone cortisol. This process also involves changes in the regulation of eating behaviour by the brain, causing an increased appetite for carbohydrates and subsequently elevated blood sugar levels. Previous studies have found an association between loneliness and unhealthy eating including higher consumption of sugary drinks and foods rich in sugars and fats. The researchers used data from the HUNT study, a collaboration between the HUNT Research Centre (Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, Norwegian University of Science and Technology [NTNU]), Trondelag County Council, the Central Norway Regional Health Authority and the Norwegian Institute of Public Health. This database contains the health information (from self-reported ques ...