A new research stated that diabetes raises the risk of depressive disorder.

The study authors stated, "Although it has been hypothesized that the diabetes-depression relation is bidirectional, few studies have addressed this hypothesis in a prospective setting."

A Pan of the Harvard School of Public Health, Boston, and fellow workers analyzed the link between the two illnesses among 65,381 females aged between 50 to 75 in the year 1996.

Study partakers were classed as having depressive disorder if they showed signs of depression, using antidepressant drug or being given a diagnosis of the disease by a medical doctor.

In the 10-year review, 2,844 females were diagnosed with type 2 diabetes and 7,415 had depressive disorder.

The outcomes of the research showed that females with depressive disorder were around 17% more likely to have diabetes after controlling for other risk factors, like physical activity and BMI.

And those who were having antidepressant medications experienced a 25% higher risk of having diabetes as compared to those who did not have depressive disorder.

Diabetic females were 29% more likely to have depression. Females who were on insulin experienced an added risk-53% higher than females without diabetes.

The study outcomes showed that depressive disorder may have an effect on risk for diabetes beyond body mass and immobility. Besides, the results support the idea that diabetes is linked to depression.

The authors added, "Future studies are needed to confirm our findings in different populations and to investigate the potential mechanisms underlying this association."

The results of the study appeared in the November 22 issue of Archives of Internal Medicine.