Researchers from Western Norway University of Applied Sciences have found that feelings of loneliness are linked to a significantly higher risk of developing type 2 diabetes. These are the findings of a new study published in ‘Diabetologia,’ the journal of the European Association for the Study of Diabetes [EASD]. Type 2 diabetes is an impairment in the way the body regulates and uses sugar (glucose) as a fuel. This long-term (chronic) condition results in too much sugar circulating in the bloodstream. Eventually, high blood sugar levels can lead to disorders of the circulatory, nervous and immune systems.
The 20-year follow-up study used data from the Trøndelag Health Study (the HUNT study), a large longitudinal health study based on a population from central Norway. Roger E. Henriksen, associate professor at the Institute of Nursing at Western Norway University of Applied Sciences, became interested in how social relationships impact physical health about a decade ago after hearing James A. Coan, director of the Virginia Affective .