Depression and incident diabetes: An exploratory study using the National Population Health Survey (NPHS) 1994–2003

Growing research suggests that depression may be an independent risk factor in the development of type 2 diabetes. Depressed populations may be at much greater risk, as high as three-fold greater, of developing diabetes compared to non-depressed populations. This study used the National Population Health Survey to explore this relationship among Canadian adults. The initial crude OR for individuals with major depression compared to those without depression was significant, with an OR = 1.74 (95% CI: 1.05-2.91). However, after further analysis and adjustment for BMI, age, sex and alcohol consumption, the relationship became non-significant, with an OR = 1.13 (95% CI: 0.53-2.38). Use of survival analysis also revealed non-significant results with an unadjusted and adjusted HR = 1.02 (95% CI: 0.48-2.18) and 0.52 (95% CI: 0.23-1.16), respectively. The findings of this study suggest that depression does not play an etiological role in the development of type 2 diabetes.