The Association of Loneliness with Diabetes Is Mediated by Physical Activity and BMI but Not Diet Quality

Abstract

Loneliness is considered a predictor of poor health through numerous pathways. Mediators of this association has not been extensively explored. The study objective was to determine if diet quality and physical activity are parallel mediators with body mass index (BMI) as the third mediator in the association of loneliness with diabetes. The sample, middle-aged and older African American and White adults, 36–77 years, participated in the second follow-up wave of the prospective Healthy Aging in Neighborhoods of Diversity across the Life Span study, 2013–2017. Loneliness was measured by the UCLA 3-item loneliness scale. Participants were categorized as not diabetic, pre-diabetic, or diabetic based on fasting blood glucose, self-reports, or taking medication for diabetes. The Mean Healthy Eating Index-2010 score was calculated from two 24 h dietary recalls collected using the USDA automated multiple pass method. Physical activity was derived from the Baecke questionnaire. The Hayes PROCESS macro, model #80, was used to perform the mediational analysis. Covariates were age, sex at birth, race, income, alcohol intake, and education. Loneliness was inversely and significantly associated with diet quality and physical activity. The only significant indirect path was loneliness > physical activity > BMI > diabetes. Better understanding of modifiable lifestyle behaviors when developing interventions may improve mental health, thereby improving health.