An article published in The Independent this morning states, "Medics, police officers and fire fighters could be at increased risk of developing diabetes." 

The publication comes after new research was published in the Occupational & Environmental Medicine journal linking a heightened risk of diabetes to shift work.

In comparison with conventional employees who work a 9 to 5 day, shift workers, especially “graveyard” shift workers, are 9 percent more likely to develop type 2 diabetes. Additionally, researchers found that male shift workers are 37 percent more likely to develop diabetes while employees who work rotating rather than fixed shift patterns have an increased risk of 42 percent.

According to CBS News, ‘”Some potential biological mechanisms may explain the link between shift work and [diabetes],” the researchers write in their study. “First, shift work may interfere with the normal synchrony of the light-dark cycle, sleeping and eating patterns, which might cause a mismatch of circadian rhythms.”‘

Other research on the topic has also linked shift work to serious health conditions, including cancer, heart disease and potential harm to fertility for women who hold late night or rotating shift jobs.

Other articles covering this story include Forbes, Tech Times and BBC News.

Research has shown that emotions have a powerful effect on eating behavior and that there is a connection between food choices, emotions and increased energy intake.

In June 2015, researchers from the University of Compultense of Madrid published the results of their study looking into the “emotional behavior of individuals as a function of the relation between food intake and emotions to facilitate the establishment of personalized dietary guidelines based on healthy eating habits and increase the patient fidelity until the desired weight.”

The results of the study showed that the studied population was sedentary, consumed an unhealthy diet and eating behavior was greatly affected by emotions. The majority of participants were classified as emotional eaters. During the treatment program, eating habits and lifestyle subjects were modified and reduced at least 10% of their body weight. Ultimately, knowing the relation between food intake and emotions allows individuals to personalize their dietary strategy for weight loss.

At Medical Metabolic Specialists, we always begin with individualized assessments. We work with our new clients to determine what kinds of lifestyle modifications related to nutrition, medical issues, physical activity and emotional wellbeing would best combine to provide you with the healthiest and most effective weight loss. Please give us a call to discuss our Comprehensive Program and to learn how to get started!
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Source: PubMed

If you are planning to spend your weekend on the couch, you may want to reconsider. A recent report published in the Journal of the American Heart Association suggests that watching too much TV may be linked to a higher risk of early death.

“Watching television is a passive, sedentary activity, and certainly people who do it for hours are not paying attention in terms of their lifestyle and in terms of their diet,” said American Heart Association cardiologist Nisa Goldberg.