Do people with mental health problems have an increased risk of developing diabetes mellitus?

Title

Do people with mental health problems have an increased risk of developing diabetes mellitus?

Name

Nanna Lindekilde

Abstract

Background:
Meta-analyses show that people with an elevated depression score are at increased risk of developing type 2 diabetes mellitus. It is currently unclear whether chronic stress is associated with elevated diabetes risk.

Objectives:
The aim of the present project is to evaluate whether people with mental health problems are at increased risk of developing type 1 or type 2 diabetes. Furthermore, the project aims to determine potential mechanisms linking poor mental health with the development of type 2 diabetes mellitus.

Methods:
Three types of data sources are used:

1. Previous published scientific research in peer-reviewed journals;
2. The national Danish registries;
3. The National Health Profile.

Several methodologies such as systematic reviews and analyses like hierarchical regression analysis and mediation analysis will be employed.

Perspectives:
To determine whether chronic stress/mental health problems are associated with increased diabetes risk. If this is true, this may contribute to future prevention of diabetes mellitus.

Keywords

Diabetes mellitus, mental health problems, psychiatric disorders

Start date and expected end date

01.01.2018 – 31.12.2020

Main supervisor

Professor Frans Pouwer, Department of Psychology, University of Southern Denmark

Co-supervisors

• Associate professor Jan Erik Henriksen, Chief physician, head of department at Odense University Hospital;
• Associate professor Mathias Lasgaard, Department of Psychology, University of Southern Denmark, and DEFACTUM, Central Region Denmark;
• Associate professor Katrine Hass Rubin, OPEN - Odense Patient data Explorative Network, Department of Clinical Research, University of Southern Denmark and Odense University Hospital, Odense, Denmark

Collaborators

Dr. G. Nefs (Radboud University, Nijmegen), Dr. M. Schram (Maastricht University), both The Netherlands

Funding

Scholarship from the Faculty of Health Sciences, SDU