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. 2024 Mar 12;12(2):e003934.
doi: 10.1136/bmjdrc-2023-003934.

Loneliness and the risk of type 2 diabetes

Siri Rosenkilde  1 , Sofie Have Hoffmann  2 , Anne Bonde Thorsted  2 , Trine Allerslev Horsbøl  2 , Katrine Rich Madsen  2 , Sara Fokdal Lehn  2   3 , Allan Kofoed-Enevoldsen  3   4 , Peter Bindslev Iversen  3 , Marie Stjerne Grønkjær  5 , Lau Caspar Thygesen  2
Affiliations

Loneliness and the risk of type 2 diabetes

Siri Rosenkilde et al. BMJ Open Diabetes Res Care. .

Abstract

Introduction: The incidence of type 2 diabetes is increasing globally. Recent research suggests that loneliness could be a potential risk factor for the development of type 2 diabetes. We aimed to investigate the association between loneliness and type 2 diabetes and the modifying effect of mental disorders.

Research design and methods: We conducted a prospective study including 465 290 adults (aged ≥16 years) who participated in either the Danish Health and Morbidity Survey or the Danish National Health Survey between 2000 and 2017. Loneliness was based on self-report, while type 2 diabetes was measured using an algorithm combining several health registers including type 2 diabetes patients treated both within the hospital sector and general practice. Cox proportional hazards regressions were used to estimate hazard ratios (HRs) and 95% confidence intervals (95% CIs).

Results: During a mean follow-up time of 6.3 years, 13 771 individuals (3%) developed type 2 diabetes. Feeling lonely once in a while was associated with a 14% increased risk of type 2 diabetes (95% CI 1.09 to 1.20), while feeling lonely often was associated with a 24% increased risk (95% CI 1.14 to 1.34), independent of sociodemographic factors and body mass index. The association was stronger among individuals without a mental disorder (HR 1.21, 95% CI 1.10 to 1.34 among those feeling lonely often) compared with those with a mental disorder (HR 1.07, 95% CI 0.93 to 1.23).

Conclusions: Loneliness independently increased the risk of type 2 diabetes. The effect was more pronounced in individuals without a mental disorder, as having a mental disorder itself likely increases the risk of type 2 diabetes. These findings emphasize the importance of addressing loneliness as a modifiable risk factor in preventing type 2 diabetes.

Keywords: Diabetes Mellitus, Type 2; Epidemiology; Mental Disorders.

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Conflict of interest statement

Competing interests: None declared.

Figures

Figure 1
Figure 1
Hazard ratios and 95% confidence intervals of incident type 2 diabetes by levels of loneliness.
Figure 2
Figure 2
Hazard ratios and 95% confidence intervals of incident type 2 diabetes by levels of loneliness stratified by the presence or absence of a mental disorder.
Figure 3
Figure 3
Hazard ratios and 95% confidence intervals of incident type 2 diabetes by levels of loneliness: sensitivity analyses. T2DM, type 2 diabetes mellitus; T-ILS, Three-Item Loneliness Scale.
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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