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Does anxiety put you at greater risk of heart disease and diabetes?
Research in men has suggested that there could be a link between anxiety and having risk factors for heart and circulatory diseases. We look behind the headlines.
Anxiety could be linked to risk factors for heart disease, stroke and diabetes, according to new research.
This study, published in the Journal of the American Heart Association, was based on the health of around 1500 men, with an average age of 53 at the start of the study.
The researchers wanted to find out more about the link between anxiety and diseases such as heart disease, stroke and diabetes. Worry and neuroticism (which means that you experience “disproportionately intense negative emotions”) have been previously demonstrated to be linked to anxiety, and have been measured in existing long-running studies of people’s health.The researchers found that more neurotic and worry-prone men already had a higher number of risk factors at the beginning of the study
During the follow-up period, which was 23 years on average, the men were assessed for risk factors for coronary heart disease, stroke and diabetes. Seven risk markers were measured, including blood pressure, cholesterol, BMI, sugar levels and signs of inflammation (which can be involved in the development of heart and circulatory diseases).
The researchers found that more neurotic and worry-prone men already had a higher number of risk factors at the beginning of the study, and that this difference between the more and less anxious stayed at a constant level (instead of growing) throughout the follow-up period. This suggests that the effects of higher levels of anxiety could be linked to biological processes earlier in life, perhaps even in childhood or young adulthood.
They also found that neuroticism seemed to have a slightly bigger effect on risk factors than worry.
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A strength of this study was that it included a large number of people and followed them over a long period of time at regular intervals. They chose men who were healthy, with no previous history of coronary heart disease, stroke or type 2 diabetes and they adjusted for factors including smoking, drinking, family history of heart disease and exercising, so the results are less likely to be influenced by other factors.
However, the participants were overwhelmingly white men, and disadvantaged groups were under-represented, so these findings might not be representative of the population as a whole.
This type of study cannot prove that worry and neuroticism caused an increase in risk factors for conditions such as coronary heart disease, stroke and diabetes.
How good was the news coverage?
The study was discussed in The Independent, the Daily Express and the Daily Mail, among other media.
The coverage was broadly accurate, and The Independent and The Daily Mail helpfully included quotes from the lead researcher about how men could reduce their risks by having routine health check-ups, taking any medications for high blood pressure and maintaining a healthy weight.
The Independent’s headline, “Worry is bad for the heart and increases diabetes risk” might suggest that worry has been proven to cause heart problems and diabetes, when in fact the study simply shows a link between worry and the risk factors.
These news stories did all explain that the study measured neuroticism as well as worry, and helpfully explained what neuroticism is.
The BHF verdict
We know that physical and mental health can often be linked, but understanding cause and effect is complicated, especially since mental health can affect the way you look after your physical health.
This study suggests that anxiety in men in middle age does not necessarily lead to heart and circulatory diseases, but it’s possible that anxiety earlier in life could have harmful effects on the body.
More research is needed in this area. In the meantime, if you’re struggling with anxiety, there are useful tips and resources at Every Mind Matters. You can also read our information on coping with anxiety when you have a heart condition.
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