Diabetes and stress

Distressed people with diabetes have a higher heart disease risk as they tend to smoke more.

A new study has revealed that psychologically distressed people with diabetes have a higher heart disease risk as they tend to smoke more and avoid exercises.

According to the study conducted by Tara W. Strine, an epidemiologist in the Division of Adult and Community Health at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and colleagues, people suffering from any sort of depression or emotional problems, with diabetes are more likely to smoke to ease off their tensions, have high cholesterol and high blood pressure than non-distressed diabetic people.

They are also more likely to avoid exercise such as running, calisthenics, golf, gardening or walking.

Distressed people with diabetes thus tend to experience four or more of five major risk factors for a heart disease including obesity, exercise avoidance, high blood pressure and high cholesterol.

"Mental health professionals need to be involved in the care of diabetic persons.The management of diabetes is multi-faceted, complex and demanding. It depends primarily on the diabetic person's self-care behavior," Strine notes.

The authors also note though this type of study may suggest an association between mental distress and heart disease risk factors, it cannot determine the exact mechanism behind this association.