Social relationships and the metabolic syndrome

Project summary

Previous research has shown that the lack of good social relationships is associated with chronic disease and higher risk of mortality. This project will provide new knowledge about how and to what extent social integration affects the development of the metabolic syndrome and the risk of type 2 diabetes. The purpose of the study is two-fold: 1) To investigate whether there is an association between the lack of good social relationships and the development of metabolic syndrome, and 2) whether there is an association between social relationships and an increased risk of type 2 diabetes as measured by "The Finnish Type 2 Diabetes Risk Score» (FINDRISC). To answer the research questions, statistical analyzes will be performed based on existing data from the Norwegian survey ‘Helseundersøkelsen i Nord-Trøndelag’ (HUNT).