Researchers examined the role of marital status in the development of type 2 diabetes. Using prospective data from the Health Professionals Follow-up Study, researchers found that unmarried men (especially widowers) had an elevated risk of developing type 2 diabetes, when compared to married men (adjusting for other factors). This increased risk may be partially mediated by unfavorable changes in lifestyle, diet, and adiposity.
This study examines the impact optimism has on serum lipids, including total cholesterol, LDL and HDL cholesterol, and triglycerides. This research found that optimism was positively correlated with HDL cholesterol and triglycerides, but was not associated with LDL cholesterol and total cholesterol.
This physician essayist applauds the adoption of the American Heart Association’s 2020 Impact Goal to improve the cardiovascular health (CVH) of all Americans by 20 percent while reducing deaths from cardiovascular disease (CVD) and stroke by 20 percent—by the year 2020.
Positive psychological well-being, especially optimism, protects against the incidence, and somewhat against the progression, of cardiovascular disease through a broad array of mechanisms, according to this extensive literature review.
