Diabetes is a disorder of sugar metabolism. In those affected, the insulin content in the blood is increased and too little sugar is released into the tissue. Type 2 diabetes is a non-congenital form that is often caused by lifestyle. Researchers have now gained new insights into which factors can promote the development of the disease.
Various factors are associated with an increased risk of developing type 2 diabetes. Among the better known is a high-sugar diet combined with a lack of exercise, which can lead to insulin resistance (often a precursor to diabetes). However, it was not previously known that insomnia is one of the risk factors for type 2 diabetes.
Overview of identified risk factors for type 2 diabetes
A team of Swedish researchers from Uppsala University and the Karolinska Institute in Stockholm recently published their findings on the subject in the specialist journal Diabetologia. The study was led by Professor Susanna Larsson and co-author Shuai Yuan from the Stockholm faculty. They evaluated a total of 97 circumstances that were previously thought to be associated with an increased likelihood of developing the disease. Many of them now want to be able to exclude them as such.
As actually confirmed risk factors for type 2 diabetes remain among others
• Depressions,
• Smoking,
• High blood pressure,
• high caffeine consumption,
• obesity – both in childhood and in adulthood,
• the percentage of body fat,
• internal abdominal fat,
• various properties of the blood plasma composition (e.g. the presence of polyunsaturated fatty acids, certain amino acids, etc.).
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Insomnia – previously unknown as a risk factor
The fact that insomnia also promotes the development of type 2 diabetes is a new finding in research. According to the study summary, people who suffer from insomnia are 17 percent more likely to develop type 2 diabetes, i.e. those with a normal sleep behavior
The scientists were also able to confirm the connection between afternoon naps and an increased risk of diabetes. However, as Larsson notes in an interview with Medical News Today, insomnia and the tendency to lie down during the day often coexist. Afternoon naps would therefore have to be regarded as a limited risk factor.
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How did the investigation go?
The researchers worked on the principle of Mendelian randomization (MR). It is a common epidemiological, biostatistical method in science to assess the influence of risk factors on the development of diseases. Random circumstances that could affect the quality of the evaluation were also taken into account in the evaluation of the study.
Before drawing conclusions, Larsson and colleagues reviewed around 238 existing studies. They used data from the “DIAGRAM” (DIAbetes Genetics Replication And Meta-analysis, a meta-analysis collection by European diabetes researchers). They included around 74,124 cases of type 2 diabetes and data from 824,006 control persons in their analysis. Around 51 percent of the data came from male subjects, the average age was 55 years.
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The biggest risk factor remains obesity
Severe overweight or obesity, i.e. obesity, is still the main risk factor for type 2 diabetes. It can be assumed that an unhealthy obesity can also be a cause of insomnia. The circumstances were often observed together. There is a high degree of certainty that there is a connection between the risk factor of depression and the observed insomnia.
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Factors that reduce the risk of type 2 diabetes
In addition to the warnings, the researchers also name factors that are said to be associated with a reduced risk of disease. These include, among other things, the weight with which you were born and (in women) the age of the first menstruation, the testosterone and vitamin D levels in the blood. That’s right: you can’t influence everything yourself. In this context, those responsible for the study also point out the role of genetic predisposition.
However, where one can have an effect, one should do so. For example, the lifestyle of the parents (and even the diet and body weight of an expectant mother) affects the physical condition of the child.
Don’t smoke, watch your weight, etc.
With the demand for primary prevention, the researchers are also addressing politics. Prevention strategies should be developed to reduce obesity and the proportion of smokers in society. In addition, measures are needed to improve general mental health, the level of education – and last but not least the quality of sleep.