Longer hours increases risk of diabetes

A University of California study of nurses finds that working long hours increases the risk of diabetes in young and middle-aged women.

The researchers, who used data from the Nurses Health Study and tracked nurses aged 29 to 46, found that those who worked 60 hours a week or more were more than twice as likely to develop Type 2 diabetes, the British newspaper, The Mirror, reported. Those who worked 40 to 60 hours were 50 percent as likely to get diabetes as those who worked 21 to 39 hours.

"Results were consistent with an impact of job stress on diabetes outcome and hours worked per week may reflect the extent of exposure to stress," said Candyce Kroenke, who led the research team.

Single women tended to drink and smoke more than married nurses and were also more likely to develop diabetes.

Researchers believe that stress raises cortical levels, leading to higher body fat and blood pressure.

Copyright 2006 by United Press International