People suffering from anxiety and depression may be at significantly higher risk for major health conditions like heart disease, according to new research, perhaps at levels comparable to smoking and obesity. The study analyzed health data for more than 15,000 adults over a four-year period from the Health and Retirement study, a large US population-based study of older adults. The study didn’t find a link between depression, anxiety and higher risk of cancer. We need to stop attributing cancer diagnoses to histories of stress, depression and anxiety.”The link between depression, anxiety and other chronic health conditions is increasingly evident in studies focused on the effects of inflammation. The researchers emphasized the importance of health care professionals paying more attention to depression and anxiety as predictors of other major health conditions.

Source: Forbes December 18, 2018 04:30 UTC