Diabetes is a serious concern in our society, especially since our population is not only aging but also increasing in girth as well. Obesity has become something of an epidemic and it must be curtailed in order to combat the health concerns related to a poor diet and lack of exercise.
We have discussed this before. However, this particular article will not focus on how obesity can affect diabetes, but rather on how yet another concern could affect the way you live with the condition.
In a study recently published in Diabetes Care, researchers looked at people who had received both a diagnosis of Type II diabetes and minor or major depression in order to determine whether or not those with depression had a higher mortality rate than those with diabetes alone.
Over 4,000 patients with Type II diabetes were part of the study, which included a survey and a three-year follow-up.
After three years, researchers found that in the 3,303 patients who were diagnosed with only Type II diabetes, 275 deaths occurred, which accounts for 8.3% of the participants. However, in those diagnosed with minor depression, there were 48 deaths in 354 people, which accounted for 13.6% of the participants, in addition to 59 out of 497 patients with major depression (11.9%) dying.
After these numbers were adjusted in the hazards model, researchers found that “Minor depression was associated with a 1.67-fold increase in mortality and major depression was associated with a 2.30-fold increase.”
Researchers concluded that there was a relationship between diabetes, depression, and increased mortality. Why this relationship exists, however, will require further review.
According to the National Institute of Mental Health, in a one-year period, 18.8 million Americans will suffer from some form of a depressive disorder.
There are a number of different types of depression, but “Major depression is manifested by a combination of symptoms. . . that interfere with the ability to work, study, sleep, eat, and enjoy once pleasurable activities. Such a disabling episode of depression may occur only once, but more commonly may occur several times in a lifetime.”
Minor depression is always there, and while it is not outright disabling, it can definitely interfere with day-to- day life.
There are many different reasons for why depression occurs, be it genetics, stress, or going through a particularly rough patch in life. If you find that you are experiencing symptoms related to depression — such as sadness, a feeling of emptiness, loss of interest, feelings of guilt, loss of appetite, or suicidal thoughts — you should make an appointment to speak with your doctor to get help.
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Tags: diabetics help, Health News, obesity
