A new study has found that people with type 2 diabetes who have lower levels of diligence, or conscientiousness, may face a higher risk of developing cardiovascular diseases such as heart attacks and strokes.
The research, published in BMJ Open Diabetes Research & Care, shows that personality traits could play a significant role in heart health for people with diabetes, but a healthy lifestyle still offers protection regardless of personality.
Type 2 diabetes is strongly linked to cardiovascular diseases, and managing the condition requires sticking to a healthy lifestyle and following a strict medication routine.
Researchers wanted to see if personality traits, especially diligence, could influence the risk of heart disease in people with type 2 diabetes.
The study followed 8,794 people with type 2 diabetes, who were part of the UK Biobank study, from 2006 to 2021.
The researchers used the “Big Five” personality traits to assess the participants’ psychological profiles.
Since the UK Biobank didn’t directly measure these traits, the researchers created proxies based on participants’ self-reported mental health, social factors, and psychological characteristics.
These proxies were sociability (for extraversion), warmth (for agreeableness), diligence (for conscientiousness), curiosity (for openness), and nervousness (for neuroticism).
Over an average of 13 years, 2,110 participants developed cardiovascular disease. The results showed that people with higher levels of diligence had a significantly lower risk of developing heart-related conditions. Those with high diligence scores were:
- 7% less likely to experience any cardiovascular event
- 10% less likely to have a heart attack
- 17% less likely to suffer from a blood clot-related stroke (ischemic stroke)
- 8% less likely to have an irregular heart rhythm (atrial fibrillation)
- 16% less likely to develop heart failure
In addition, people with high diligence scores tended to lead healthier lifestyles, which helped lower their risk even further. However, the study found that even people with low diligence scores could reduce their heart disease risk by maintaining healthy lifestyle habits, like eating well and staying active.
The researchers pointed out that diligence is a key aspect of conscientiousness, a trait often linked to disciplined, organized, and resourceful behavior. Previous studies have shown that people with high conscientiousness are less likely to smoke and more likely to exercise regularly.
While this was an observational study and couldn’t prove a direct cause-and-effect relationship, it provides valuable insights. The researchers also noted some limitations, such as not being able to consider other factors like alcohol use, diet, and sleep patterns.
Despite these limitations, the study highlights that personality traits, particularly diligence, may help predict cardiovascular disease risk in people with type 2 diabetes. The researchers conclude that a healthy lifestyle remains crucial for everyone, regardless of their personality traits.
If you care about heart disease, please read studies about a big cause of heart failure, and common blood test could advance heart failure treatment.
For more information about heart health, please see recent studies about a new way to repair human heart, and results showing drinking coffee may help reduce heart failure risk.
