As the population ages, experts are working to understand factors that influence healthy aging and encourage a better quality of life. Type 2 diabetes (T2D) is a chronic metabolic disorder that can impact long-term health outcomes.
A new study published in the Journal of the American Geriatrics Society found that older adults diagnosed with T2D who had high levels of psychological resilience were more likely to have better physical functioning, higher quality of life, and a lower likelihood of frailty and self-reported disability.
Psychological resilience, or just resilience, depends on peoples ability to respond and adapt to complex events like stress or trauma. It has to do with bouncing back after experiencing hardship.
Anamara Ritt-Olson, Ph.D., an associate professor of health, society, and behavior at the School of Public Health at the University of California, Irvine, not involved in the study, explained resilience to MNT in this way:
Resilience is the incredibly common ability to both withstand and bounce back from adversity. It is the armor that we wear to weather the difficulties of life. We are often put in the spin cycle of life, but resiliency allows us to come out relatively unharmed.
Both internal and external factors impact resilience. People are different, so their levels of resilience are also different. For example, adults with greater levels of social support are more likely to have more robust levels of resilience.
Resilience can impact many aspects of peoples lives, including how they cope with chronic conditions. T2D is a chronic metabolic disorder that affects the bodys ability to use glucose for energy.
It requires careful long-term management. If left unmanaged, it can lead to severe health complications like diabetic nephropathy and heart disease. Experts are still researching the best disease management methods and factors influencing long-term health outcomes.
Experts in this current study wanted to examine how psychological resilience impacted health in older adults with T2D.
The study included over 3,000 older adult participants with T2D. These participants were originally enrolled in a clinical trial that compared different diabetes management interventions. Current study authors followed up with these participants on average fourteen and a half years later. They measured a few different components among the participants:
Overall, researchers found that higher levels of psychological resilience were associated with better health outcomes, including lower numbers of hospitalizations, better physical functioning and quality of life, and fewer symptoms of depression.
Study author KayLoni Olson, Ph.D., noted the following study highlights to MNT:
In this study, we found that among older adults with Type 2 diabetes, individuals who reported a greater degree of psychological resilience (being able to bounce back after stress) also reported better overall aging-related health. This includes metrics like fewer hospitalizations in the previous year, lower likelihood of meeting criteria for frailty, and greater mental well-being.
However, researchers also found some variation between the association of resilience with some metrics. They note that this indicates that some associations may differ based on race [or] ethnicity.
This particular study had a few limitations indicating the need for more in-depth research.
First, the study cannot determine causality. It was also a cross-sectional study, which means that the authors could not determine the directional relationship of the variables.
Other limitations are related to particular study and analysis methods. For example, they did not look at all of the sociocultural factors that may impact resilience. They also didnt examine specific aspects of aging, like cognitive function. The majority of participants were white and female, which can limit the generalization of the studys findings.
Dr. Ritt-Olson offered the following insights and words of caution:
Their findings suggest that when older adults build their resiliency, they will find benefits it both their mental and physical strength. They may even be able to avoid hospitalizations. There are challenges with the study that the authors also acknowledge, for example, their measure of resiliency is about your general perception of how quickly you bounce back. We can overestimate our abilities to bounce back, and it isnt tied to an actual event that one needed to adapt to.
Regardless, the study offers insight into the important relationship between the mind and the body. Further research can confirm the impact of psychological resilience and provide longer-term follow-up.
The current study cant tell us if psychological resilience causes better overall health or vice versa, which means that additional research is important for teasing these relationships apart, Dr. Ritt-Olson noted.
In the short term, incorporating concepts like resilience into the study of aging may not only contribute to a more holistic understanding of the aging experience but may also help expand the narrative around aging so that individuals feel empowered as opposed to passive participants. This intersects with efforts within the aging research community to define healthy aging not just by the absence of health-related issues but also by the quality of later years of life.
More here:
Resilience may improve health among older adults with type 2 diabetes - Medical News Today
- Virginia to offer diabetes-prevention classes - Essentia Health - March 1st, 2024
- Type 2 Diabetes: Red Light Therapy May Help Lower Blood Sugar - Healthline - March 1st, 2024
- Ultra-processed foods linked to over 30 health issues, from diabetes to heart trouble to cancer, research finds - CBS News - March 1st, 2024
- Mayo Clinic Minute: Expanding the living kidney donor pool to those with Type 2 diabetes - Mayo Clinic - March 1st, 2024
- Sugar tax shows sweet results in cutting obesity and diabetes rates - News-Medical.Net - March 1st, 2024
- What's the Connection Between Diabetes and Oral Health? - Medscape - March 1st, 2024
- ATTD 2024: Previewing the Latest on AID Systems, CGMs, and Diabetes Medications - diaTribe Foundation - March 1st, 2024
- What I Wish I Had Known When I Was Diagnosed with Type 2 Diabetes - EatingWell - March 1st, 2024
- Ultraprocessed foods linked to heart disease, diabetes, mental disorders and early death, study finds - CNN - March 1st, 2024
- Type 2 diabetes: Red light therapy could help lower blood sugar levels - Medical News Today - March 1st, 2024
- Unraveling the Link Between Type 2 Diabetes and Lower Back Pain: A New Frontier in Medical Research - Medriva - March 1st, 2024
- Scientists from 18 countries join forces to put end to 'pervasive, global problem' of diabetes stigma and discrimination - Medical Xpress - March 1st, 2024
- Bariatric surgery more effective than medical and lifestyle interventions for diabetes control and remission: Study - Medical Xpress - March 1st, 2024
- Unveiling Growth Prospects in the Type 2 Diabetes Industry: Major Drivers And Lucrative Segments As Per The ... - GlobeNewswire - March 1st, 2024
- Insulin-inhibitory receptor research offers hope for type 2 diabetes therapy - Medical Xpress - March 1st, 2024
- Over 4,800 persons with suspected symptoms of diabetes, hypertension identified during screening - The Hindu - March 1st, 2024
- Free cooking classes to be held in March to prevent Type 2 diabetes in Delco - The Delaware County Daily Times - March 1st, 2024
- Noblesville basketball's Aaron Fine hopes to inspire others with diabetes - IndyStar - March 1st, 2024
- One secret to preventing dementia, diabetes, and heart disease may lie in your oral health habits. Here's the dental ... - Fortune - March 1st, 2024
- Diabetes blood sugar reduction through new technology - The Jerusalem Post - March 1st, 2024
- More Funding to Reduce Costs, Improve Diabetes Care - Government of Nova Scotia - March 1st, 2024
- Many diagnosed with Type 2 diabetes may have a different form of the disease - NBC News - January 14th, 2024
- AI and the safe travel lane of diabetes care - Central Michigan University - January 14th, 2024
- Independent association of history of diabetic foot with all-cause mortality in patients with type 2 diabetes: the Renal ... - Cardiovascular... - January 14th, 2024
- Food an Effective Medicine in Diabetes? - Medscape - January 14th, 2024
- New insight into the pathogenesis of human diabetes - VA News - Veterans Affairs (.gov) - January 14th, 2024
- Controversy surrounding diabetes drug, Ozempic, being used tor weight loss - LiveNOW from FOX - January 14th, 2024
- Why are drugs that help battle obesity and diabetes so hard to get? - The Seattle Times - January 14th, 2024
- Semaglutide linked to lower suicidal ideation risk than other obesity, diabetes drugs - Healio - January 14th, 2024
- 5 "Bad" Carbs You Should Be Eating When You Have Diabetes, According to a Dietitian - EatingWell - January 14th, 2024
- 5 Breakfast Mistakes to Avoid If You Have Diabetes - EatingWell - January 14th, 2024
- Why don't fruit bats get diabetes? New understanding of how they've adapted to a high-sugar diet could lead to ... - The Conversation - January 14th, 2024
- OU professor discovers possible link between breast cancer drugs and Type 2 diabetes - KOCO Oklahoma City - January 14th, 2024
- Regional Union Selects Dario's Cardiometabolic Solution for Diabetes, Hypertension, Weight Management and GLP-1 ... - PR Newswire - January 14th, 2024
- Loneliness Associated With Greater Burden of Care Among Caregivers of Children With Type 1 Diabetes - Drug Topics - January 14th, 2024
- Is Yogurt Good For Diabetes Or Not? A Review By Nutrition Professionals - MSN - January 14th, 2024
- Health Insurance Coverage and Costs for Type 1 Diabetes Screening - Beyond Type 1 - January 14th, 2024
- MCH to open free diabetes clinic thanks to $500,000 received from the City of Odessa - NewsWest9.com - January 14th, 2024
- Smart pens and insulin pump therapy for people with Type 2 diabetes - Omnia Health Insights - January 14th, 2024
- Tandem Diabetes Care's t:slim X2 Insulin Pump is the First Automated Insulin Delivery System to Integrate with ... - Yahoo Finance - January 14th, 2024
- Why fruit bats can eat tons of sugar without getting diabetes - Popular Science - January 14th, 2024
- Effect of Self-Care Activities and Behaviors on Glycemic Control in Patients With Diabetes at a Tertiary Care Hospital in ... - Cureus - January 14th, 2024
- This Is the Absolute Best Way To Stay Hydrated if You Have Diabetes - Northwest Georgia News - January 14th, 2024
- Artificial sweeteners dont aid weight loss, may increase diabetes, heart disease risk, says WHO - ThePrint - May 17th, 2023
- Diabetes: What It Is, Causes, Symptoms, Treatment & Types - April 23rd, 2023
- Medically supervised weight loss approach helps patients reduce risks of diabetes, heart disease and stroke - ABC4.com - April 23rd, 2023
- Dear Annie: Im worried about my sisters use of diabetes injections to drop a few pounds - OregonLive - February 6th, 2023
- Diabetes Drug Mounjaro Expected To Be Approved For Weight Loss Soon: What To Know And How It Compares To Similar Drugs - Forbes - February 6th, 2023
- Alcohol: Some People Have Higher Risk Of Heart Attack, Diabetes And Stroke More Than Binge Drinkers Signs Youre At Risk - Revyuh - February 6th, 2023
- Still Drinking Green Tea? Doctor Reveals A Healthier Drink With Proven Benefits For Diabetes, Aging, Oxidative Stress, And Cancer - Revyuh - January 4th, 2023
- How Cinnamon Lowers Blood Sugar and Fights Diabetes - Healthline - December 27th, 2022
- Diabetic Foot Ulcers: Causes and Treatments - Healthline - December 27th, 2022
- Diabetes: Are jaggery and honey healthier alternatives to sugar? Experts help you understand - Times of India - December 2nd, 2022
- Diabetes | Sutter Health - November 24th, 2022
- Effect of diet on type 2 diabetes mellitus: A review - PMC - November 24th, 2022
- Efficacy of Berberine in Patients with Type 2 Diabetes - PMC - November 24th, 2022
- First Drug to Delay Type 1 Diabetes Approved by FDA - Smithsonian Magazine - November 24th, 2022
- Learn how to prevent and manage diabetes - Lincoln Journal Star - October 29th, 2022
- Years of Diabetes Could Speed Onset of Menopause | Health | derbyinformer.com - The Derby Informer - October 13th, 2022
- Insulin Use May Predict the Development of Diabetic Retinopathy - MD Magazine - October 13th, 2022
- The Most Crucial Eating Habit To Prevent Diabetes - Eat This, Not That - October 13th, 2022
- 2 Northeast Ohio teens born with type 1 diabetes deal with social anxieties of their condition at school - WKYC.com - October 13th, 2022
- University Hospitals nationally recognized for efforts to reduce uncontrolled blood pressure; address relationship between diabetes, heart disease,... - October 13th, 2022
- 5 Analysts Have This to Say About Tandem Diabetes Care - Tandem Diabetes Care (NASDAQ:TNDM) - Benzinga - October 13th, 2022
- Living with diabetes: Nutrition, exercise, routines, and more - Medical News Today - October 4th, 2022
- Cleveland Clinic - October 4th, 2022
- Researchers study long-term effectiveness of diabetes drugs - GW Hatchet - October 4th, 2022
- Once-weekly insulin icodec demonstrates superior reduction in HbA1c in combination with a dosing guide app versus once-daily basal insulin in people... - October 4th, 2022
- THE DIABETES LINK LAUNCHES TO HELP YOUNG ADULTS THRIVE WHILE LIVING WITH THE DISEASE - PR Newswire - October 4th, 2022
- Why people with diabetes have more UTIs and how to prevent infections - Medical News Today - October 4th, 2022
- Dealing With Type 1 Diabetes - Nick Jonas Behind New Men's Mental Health Initiative - Men's Health - October 4th, 2022
- Bionic pancreas improves type 1 diabetes management compared to standard insulin delivery methods - National Institutes of Health (.gov) - October 4th, 2022
- NOACs or Warfarin in Atrial Fibrillation With Diabetes - DocWire News - October 4th, 2022
- Why Type 1 Diabetes Is Tougher on Girls Than Boys - Healthline - October 4th, 2022
- Improve Diagnosis of Type of Heart Failure Common in Diabetes - Medscape - October 4th, 2022
- Insights on the Next Generation Diabetes Therapy and Drug Delivery Global Market to 2030 - Rising Incidences of Diabetes Globally and Increase in the... - October 4th, 2022
- Diabetes: TXNIP involved in increased secretion of glucagon from pancreatic alpha cells - University of Alabama at Birmingham - October 4th, 2022
- Peanut Butter and Diabetes: Can They Work Together? - Taste of Home - October 4th, 2022
- Prevalence of Microalbuminuria and Cardiovascular Risk Factors in Patients With Diabetes Mellitus Type-II in Al-Khobar, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia -... - October 4th, 2022
- Do Well, Be Well with Diabetes program starts Oct. 6 in Waco - AgriLife Today - September 25th, 2022