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Diabetes Notes

Now The Man will give you the Beedies. Figures.

by Rob Rummel-Hudson on November 25th, 2006

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Like I needed some fancy pants researchers to tell me this.

An Israeli study, published in the journal Psychosomatic Medicine, suggests that people who suffer from workplace stress may be prone to developing type 2 diabetes.

While not confirming a link between having a crappy job and diabetes, the study does suggest that workplace unhappiness can increase the risk to a degree similar to other factors such as weight, smoking and lack of exercise.

The study followed 677 Israeli workers from 1998 to 2003. 77 percent were men, averaging about 43 years old. Of that number, 17 developed type 2 diabetes. People who experience some form of job burnout were almost twice as likely to develop diabetes, even when other factors such as age, sex and obesity were factored in.

In a smaller sample with the possible effects of blood pressure levels statistically eliminated, the results were even more extreme, with burned-out workers almost four and half times more likely to develop type 2 diabetes.

The researchers say that job burnout may only represent part of the problem. “It is possible that these people are prone to diabetes because they can’t handle stress very well,” said Tel Aviv University professor Samuel Melamed, lead author of the study. “Their coping resources may have been depleted not only due to job stress but also life stresses, such as stressful life events and daily hassles.”

Office Space was right about so many things.

(via Medical News Today. Thanks, Hsien!)

POSTED IN: News, Research

1 opinion for Now The Man will give you the Beedies. Figures.

  • RJS
    Nov 26, 2006 at 9:25 am

    I think someone forgot to mention that correlation doesn’t necessarily equal causation. ;)

    Are these people engaging in lifestyle behaviors that are conducive to developing T2DM as a coping mechanism for having a crappy job?

    Hmm…

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