A study in Norway has revealed that feelings of loneliness increase the risk of developing type 2 diabetes. In the study published in the scientific journal "Diabetologia," a research team from the Western Norway University of Applied Sciences found increasing evidence linking psychological stress and loneliness to type 2 diabetes. The researchers stated that loneliness triggers a temporary insulin resistance within the body, which is responsible for processing sugar in the blood, due to an increase in the hormone cortisol released by the body under stress.
The researchers also highlighted that loneliness affects the brain's control over eating habits, increasing cravings for carbohydrates, which raises blood sugar levels. Previous studies have linked feelings of loneliness to unhealthy eating habits, such as overeating sugary drinks and foods high in fat.
The researchers relied on data from the HUNT Research Center at the Norwegian School of Medicine and Health Sciences, the Regional Health Authority of Central Norway, and the Norwegian Institute of Public Health, which included over 230,000 individuals over four statistical studies conducted between 1984 and 2019. The research team stated in comments to the scientific research website "SciTech Daily" that "a lack of social relationships and the absence of positive social influences may make those who experience loneliness more susceptible to behaviors that increase the risks of developing type 2 diabetes."
