Researchers have found in a new study of 116 adults, stress levels were found to correlate positively with blood glucose in insulin-resistant (IR) individuals. In both IR and insulin-sensitive groups, higher stress predicted negative metabolic effects. These findings highlight the importance of stress management strategies for preventing diabetes in at-risk populations. The bidirectional relationship between stress and diabetes is well documented, with chronic stress increasing the risk of diabetes onset and stress adversely affecting clinical outcomes in individuals with diabetes. However, the impact of daily life stress on glucose levels in insulin-resistant individuals, who are at risk of type 2 diabetes, remains unclear.
The analysis included 116 participants (62 insulin-resistant [IR] and 54 insulin-sensitive [IS] participants) aged 18-78 years. Insulin resistance was defined by a HOMA-IR index above 2.5. Participants completed three standardised baseline questionnaires to assess their affective state. Using ambulatory assessment, daily life stress and affect were assessed for 3 days while continuous glucose monitoring was conducted for 7 days. Linear mixed-effect models were applied to estimate effects between parameters. Results: While perceived daily stress was not different between individuals with insulin resistance and control participants, they found a significant positive effect of stress on blood glucose level. Daily life stress contributes to a significant increase in glucose levels in IR individuals, highlighting the need for tailored interventions to mitigate further deterioration and potential progression to type 2 diabetes. These results underscore the importance of integrating stress management strategies into diabetes prevention in at-risk populations. Ambulatory assessments can serve as monitoring tools for identifying at-risk individuals and for testing the efficacy of targeted interventions.
Reference:
Schrems E, Gruber JR, Schiweck C, Ruf A, Reif A, Goldbach R, Edwin Thanarajah S, Matura S. Daily life stress is linked to increased glucose levels in individuals with insulin resistance: a real-world assessment. Diabetologia. 2025 Dec;68(12):2709-2718. doi: 10.1007/s00125-025-06552-x. Epub 2025 Oct 11. PMID: 41076451; PMCID: PMC12594686.
Keywords:
Daily, Stress, Raises, Blood, Glucose, Especially, Insulin-Resistant, Individuals, Study, Schrems E, Gruber JR, Schiweck C, Ruf A, Reif A, Goldbach R, Edwin Thanarajah S, Diabetologia
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