ALBAWABA - A recent study conducted by Diabetes UK has found a link between the occurrence of depression, and the increased risk of developing type 2 diabetes.
The study revealed an important discovery, highlighting that depression is one of the main possible contributing factors to having type 2 diabetes. The study identified seven genetic variants that affect insulin levels, inflammation in the brain, pancreas, or adipose tissue, and contribute to both conditions.
This discovery states that high body weight partially explains the connection between depression and type 2 diabetes. However, both conditions do not have a reverse effect because the study found no evidence that type 2 diabetes leads to the development of depression.
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Professor Inga Prokopenko, from the University of Surrey in the UK, was the lead author of the study which examined genetic data from hundreds of thousands of individuals in the UK and Finland. According to the Professor, the study's findings can help identify best practices for preventing type 2 diabetes in individuals with a history of depression.
Despite these findings, researchers caution that diagnosis of depression as a precursor to type 2 diabetes should be conducted with care, as the link is complex. Researchers note that other factors contribute to the development of type 2 diabetes, including lifestyle factors such as poor diet and sedentary lifestyles. Meanwhile, Depression UK advises people at risk of depression to engage in practices such as exercise and stress management, which could help prevent the occurrence of both depression and type 2 diabetes.
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With further research on the link between these conditions, hopefully, it can one day lead to a decrease in the number of people who develop them globally. It could be said this study is but one of the many steps toward that goal that feels far away.
