Recent research suggests that excess body fat plus a high stress level may contribute to the occurrence of Diabetes Mellitus type 2 in African American women. This group is reported to have a relatively high incident of the diabetes mellitus type 2.

Dr. Anastasia Georgiades of Duke University Medical Center in North Carolina leads the case study with her colleagues. They had 62 healthy and non-diabetic African women as their case subjects and they were subjected to an emotional stress test. The women recollected stressful events in their life and during the process, the researchers measured each subject’s blood sugar and epinephrine – or the “fight or flight” hormone that is produced during times of stress.

In analyzing the facts, women who have a lot of belly fat and a high level of epinephrine are most likely to develop high blood sugar or hyperglycemia during the stress tests and during the fasting periods. In a documented interview with Dr. Richard Surwit with Reuters Health, he said that an elevation of the fasting blood glucose or sugar is linked to be a risk factor in the development of cardiovascular diseases and diabetes.

Surwit explained why stress and obesity are linked to hyperglycemia. Epinephrine triggers the breaking down of fat that leads to the release of free fatty acids. These fatty acids actually struggle with blood glucose as our body’ energy source and it basically elevates blood sugar in that way.

The findings of the study are shown at the American Psychosomatic Society annual meet.