Depression ‘may elevate risk of type 2 diabetes’

A new study has indicated that people at risk of developing type 2 diabetes may become even more vulnerable to the disease if they also experience depression.

The four-and-a-half year study, led by McGill University, analysed 2,525 people in Quebec based on the presence of depression and early warning signs of metabolic disease, such as obesity, high blood pressure and unhealthy cholesterol levels.

It was found that those with depression alone were not at significantly greater risk of developing diabetes, but the combined effect of depression plus metabolic symptoms was greater than the sum of the individual effects.

Part of this may be because people with depression are less likely to adhere to medical advice aimed at tackling metabolic symptoms, such as taking medication, quitting smoking, getting more exercise or eating a healthier diet.

Without effective management, these metabolic symptoms can then worsen, which in turn exacerbates the symptoms of depression and continues the vicious cycle.

Norbert Schmitz, an associate professor at McGill's department of psychiatry, said: "Focusing 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."