Workplace bullying, violence may up diabetes risk


Team Udayavani, Nov 15, 2017, 5:00 PM IST

London: Workplace bullying and violence may increase the risk of type 2 diabetes, by potentially triggering metabolic changes and comfort eating behaviours, a study warns. Previous analyses have noted that issues, such as job insecurity and long working hours, with the consequent psychological impacts, are associated with a moderately higher risk of diabetes.

It has also been shown that bullying and violence can affect personal resources, such as self-esteem and the ability to cope. “Being bullied is regarded as a severe social stressor that may activate the stress response and lead to a range of downstream biological processes that may contribute towards the risk of diabetes,” according to researchers from the University of Copenhagen in Denmark.

They suggest that changes caused by stress hormones may be one possible causal pathway. Metabolic changes and obesity may be a mechanism for the increased risk, as the stress response may be linked to the endocrine regulation of appetite, and because workplace bullying or violence, and the resulting negative emotional experience, might induce comfort eating behaviours.

Researchers looked at the prospective relationships between workplace bullying or violence and diabetes risk. The study, published in the journal Diabetologia, included 19,280 men and 26,625 women who were employed, aged 40 to 65 years, and did not have diabetes at the beginning of the study.

Younger participants were excluded to minimise the possible inclusion of persons with other conditions, such as type 1 diabetes. Nine per cent of the participants reported exposure to workplace bullying. During a mean follow up of 11.7 years, 1,223 incident cases of type 2 diabetes were identified.

After adjustment, being bullied at work was associated with a 46 per cent higher risk of type 2 diabetes (61 per cent for men and 36 per cent for women). Adjustment for alcohol consumption and mental health difficulties did not affect this association. Adjustment for BMI removed one-third of the risk increase.

Some 12 per cent of participants had experienced violence or threats of violence in the preceding 12 months. During a mean follow up of 11.4 years, 930 participants were found to have type 2 diabetes.

After adjusting for confounders, workplace violence was associated with a 26 per cent higher risk of diabetes, for both men and women. Again, adjustment for alcohol consumption and mental health problems did not affect this result.

While both bullying and violence represent negative interpersonal relationships, they appear to constitute different concepts and are distinct social stressors. Bullying is psychological aggression, including behaviours such as unfair criticisms, isolation and humiliating work tasks. It is most often perpetrated by people from inside, such as colleagues.

Violence, on the other hand, is more likely to involve physical acts such as pushing or kicking, or the threat of these, and is generally perpetrated by people from outside, such as clients, patients etc.

Udayavani is now on Telegram. Click here to join our channel and stay updated with the latest news.

Top News

Maharashtra Polls: Eknath Shinde targets Uddhav for `giving up’ Bal Thackeray’s principles for power

Will appear before Lokayukta for questioning in MUDA case, says CM Siddaramaiah

Lies have short life, Cong’s ‘fake’ narrative smashed: Fadnavis

Temple idols found desecrated in Hyderabad, case registered

SC junks plea against quashing of LOC issued to ex-house help of Sushant Singh Rajput

JPC chairman Jagdambika Pal to visit K’taka on Nov 7 to meet farmers protesting Waqf notices

Indian boxer Mandeep Jangra wins WBF’s world title

Related Articles More

Weight loss could help one manage PCOS symptoms, study suggests

Risk of abnormal blood fat levels increased by about 30 pc during pandemic, finds study

Attention problems could be ‘middleman’ between genetic risk for, experiencing psychosis: Study

Meeting WHO’s sodium recommendations could avert deaths from heart, kidney disease: Study

Meeting WHO’s sodium recommendations could avert deaths from heart, kidney disease: Study

MUST WATCH

Gho Pooja in Deepavali Festival

Melukote Deepavali

Ganapathi Co-operative Society Ltd

Udayavani Chinnara Banna 2024

Annapoorna Aahar | Food Places In Mysore


Latest Additions

Waqf Issue: JPC chair Jagdambika Pal to visit Hubballi, Vijayapura on November 7

Maharashtra Polls: Eknath Shinde targets Uddhav for `giving up’ Bal Thackeray’s principles for power

Shivamogga: Wild elephant dies due to electrocution form farm fence; Landowner detained

Folk singer Sharda Sinha’s condition critical, PM in direct contact with treating doctors

Weight loss could help one manage PCOS symptoms, study suggests

Thanks for visiting Udayavani

You seem to have an Ad Blocker on.
To continue reading, please turn it off or whitelist Udayavani.