The Role of Emotional Well-Being in Diabetes Prevention and Management

This article presents a nuanced analysis of current evidence regarding the role of emotions as understudied mediators of the effectiveness of type 2 diabetes (T2D) prevention and management programs. It reviews empirical literature on how indicators of poor mental health, as well as positive affective functioning, are relevant to health behaviors that contribute to T2D risk, such as compliance with recommended diets and improved nutrition. Addressing these emotional aspects of diabetes may be an effective means of improving uptake, and ultimately efficacy, of efforts to reduce the burden of T2D. This article also discusses examples of diabetes self-management efforts that aim to simultaneously address diabetes care and emotional health needs across clinical and community settings, including the collaborative care model, peer-led programs, and community health educators. Finally, this article considers what centering the emotional side of diabetes means for innovative health promotion efforts for people with T2D.