anxiety Symptoms were positively associated with grazing behavior and higher HbA1c levels among adults with type 2 diabetes, according to a recent cross-sectional study conducted in a public hospital. Results suggest that psychological distress may contribute to maladaptive eating patterns that can impact glycemic management.
Anxiety symptoms and clinical characteristics
The study included 157 adults with type 2 diabetes between the ages of 20 and 64 years, with a mean age of 54.71 ± 7.29 years. Most participants were female and had had diabetes for a mean of 11±8.3 years. Most of them were receiving insulin treatment and were unable to obtain continuous nutritional monitoring.
Anthropometric evaluation showed that 67.52% of participants were classified as overweight based on BMI, with a mean BMI of 30 ± 5.5 kg/m2. However, arm circumference measurements indicated that 54.78% were classified as fed. Neck circumference assessment revealed that 78.98% were at risk of developing cardiovascular disease.
Most participants with laboratory evaluations available had fasting blood glucose concentrations above recommended targets. A similar pattern was observed in HbA1c levels. The researchers also identified a weak negative correlation between HbA1c and arm circumference (r = −0.181; p = 0.029). A further negative relationship was observed between duration of diabetes and arm circumference (r = −0.144; p = 0.036).
Symptoms of anxiety related to blood sugar control
Psychological status assessment using the Beck Anxiety Scale showed that 16.56% of participants experienced moderate anxiety symptoms, while 21.66% reported severe symptoms. Although most participants showed minimal levels of anxiety symptoms overall, high anxiety scores were associated with poorer glycemic control.
Specifically, anxiety symptom scores showed a statistically significant positive relationship with HbA1c levels: (r = 0.174; p = 0.035). In addition, 42.46% of participants were using psychotropic medications, despite relatively low rates of formally diagnosed psychiatric disorders. Individuals receiving these medications showed significantly higher levels of anxiety symptoms (p
Grazing behavior and psychological distress
The analysis also identified a significant relationship between anxiety symptoms and grazing behavior, an eating pattern characterized by frequent food consumption. Total anxiety symptom scores were positively associated with herding behavior scores: (r = 0.267; p = 0.001).
Additional regression analysis showed that anxiety symptom scores remained positively associated with compulsive grazing behavior regardless of psychotropic medication use. These findings suggest that anxiety symptoms may independently contribute to maladaptive eating behaviors in adults with type 2 diabetes.
conclusion
The researchers concluded that understanding the relationship between anxiety symptoms and grazing behavior may be important for improving diabetes management. The findings highlight the potential value of considering psychological well-being alongside metabolic and nutritional factors when caring for patients with type 2 diabetes.
reference
Initi MB et al. The relationship between anxiety symptoms and grazing behavior in people with type 2 diabetes. J Clin Psychol Med Settings. 2026;DOI:10.1007/s10880-026-10156-x.
Featured Image: EineroLens25/peopleimages.com on Adobe Stock
