Beware! Working for long hours may lead to Type-2 diabetes

New Delhi: Long working hours are a common thing these days. Prolonged sitting, modern erratic lifestyle and lack of physical activity can lead to the onset of Type-2 diabetes and other heart related problems.

According to a study conducted by the International Diabetes Federation (IDF), the number of Indians suffering from this malicious disease is expected to cross the 100 million mark by 2030.

A study conducted by researchers at University College London suggests that working for more than 55 hours per week may impair glucose tolerance which can increase the risk of developing Type 2 diabetes.

Researchers conducted a systematic review and meta-analysis of published studies and unpublished individual-level data examining the effects of long working hours on type 2 diabetes up to 30 April 2014.

The study revealed that individuals doing low socio-economic status jobs who worked 55 hours or more per week had a roughly 30 percent increased risk of developing diabetes compared to their counterparts who worked between 35 and 40 hours a week, even after taking into account health behaviours such as smoking and physical activity, and other risk factors including age, sex, and obesity.

This association remained strong even after excluding shift work, which has been shown to increase the risk of obesity and developing type-2 diabetes.