Chronic stress may not lead to cancer – but it is linked to diabetes in men, according to two studies published today.
A study in Sweden has found that men with permanent stress face a 45% increased risk of developing diabetes.
Researchers at Gothenburg University reached the findings from a study of 7,500 men born between 1915 and 1925.
The findings were reported in the journal Diabetic Medicine.
Researcher Masuma Novak said: "Today, stress is not recognised as a preventable cause of diabetes.
"As our study shows that there is an independent link between permanent stress and the risk of developing diabetes, which underlines the importance of preventive measure."
Meanwhile today another European study clears stress at work of being responsible for a range of cancers.
The findings in the British Medical Journal come from an analysis of studies carried out across Europe in countries such as Finland, France, Sweden, Denmark, the Netherlands and the UK.
The studies involved a total of 116,000 people.
The researchers say some studies have found links between forms of stress and cancer – but they may have been influenced by other factors, such as shift-work patterns.
Researcher Katriina Heikkilä, of the Finnish Institute of Occupational Health, Finland, writes: "Although reducing work stress would improve the well-being of the general population, it is unlikely to have a marked impact on cancer burden at population-level."
Perceived stress and incidence of Type 2 diabetes: a 35-year follow-up study of middle-aged Swedish men. Diabetic Medicine 13 December 2013 [abstract]
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