Trait anxiety and glucose metabolism in people without diabetes: vulnerabilities among black women

Diabet. Med. 29, 803–806 (2012) Aims We examined whether the relationship between anxiety and indicators of glucose metabolism in people without diabetes varies by race and gender. Methods Participants were 914 adults (777 white, 137 black) without diabetes in the MIDUS (Midlife in the USA) II study. Glucose metabolism was characterized by fasting glucose, insulin, HOMA‐IR (homeostasis model of assessment – insulin resistance), and HbA1c. Hierarchical linear regressions stratified by race and gender examined whether anxiety was associated with glucose metabolism. Results After adjustment for potential confounders, positive relationships between anxiety and fasting glucose (P = 0.04), insulin (P = 0.01), and HOMA‐IR (P = 0.02) but not HbA1c, were observed in black women only. Conclusions Our findings extend previous evidence for the links between psychosocial vulnerabilities and impaired glucose metabolism in black women, by documenting significant associations between anxiety and clinical indicators of glycaemic control among black women without diabetes. Thus, anxiety might constitute an intervention target in black women, a subgroup disproportionately affected by Type 2 diabetes, its complications, and premature mortality.