Diabetes risk for women in tiring jobs

IT may be the last news that high-flying women want to hear when they are already feeling the pressure.

But mentally tiring work may increase their risk of developing type 2 diabetes.

A study of more than 70,000 women over 22 years found that they were 21 per cent more likely to develop type 2 diabetes if they found their jobs mentally tiring.

Stress hormones are believed by some experts to make people put on weight around their middle and produce less insulin needed to regulate blood sugar.

Researchers took dietary habits into account, so the results cannot necessarily be explained by comfort eating.

Dr Guy Fagherazzi, who led the study from the INSERM medical research institute in France, said: ‘Although we cannot directly determine what increased diabetes risk, our results indicate it is not due to typical type 2 diabetes risk factors.

‘This finding underscores the importance of considering mental tiredness as a risk factor for diabetes among women.’

The study, published in the European Journal of Endocrinology, tracked women who were mainly teachers and asked how ‘mentally tiring’ they found their job.

More than 4,000 went on to be diagnosed with type 2 diabetes.

Dr Fagherazzi said: ‘Greater support for women in stressful work environments could help prevent chronic conditions.’