Great Recession linked to rises in blood pressure, glucose

Turbulent economic and political eras may impact measures of citizen health, a new study found—leading some experts to wonder what will be uncovered when we collect data from President Donald Trump’s tenure.

Researchers analyzed data from before and after the Great Recession and found significantly higher measures of blood pressure and blood sugar levels in American adults during the latter period.

“We found some pretty big effects, differences in blood pressure that would not be something a doctor would sneeze at,” lead author Teresa Seeman, PhD, an epidemiologist at UCLA, told the Washington Post. “It does make you think about the times we live in now. Things are not exactly the most stable they've been. And it will be interesting to see what the effect will be of all the upheaval we're going through now.”

The study, published March 12 in Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, found people already taking medications were hit harder by the Great Recession.

“It appeared that because their health was already compromised, they were more biologically vulnerable to the effects of stress,” Seeman said.

Pre-retirement age adults and homeowners older than 65 also showed higher than normal signs of worsening health—possibly as a result of recession-related stressors such as fear of losing a job or a nest egg.

Read the Washington Post’s full story below:

The Great Recession raised America’s blood pressure, study finds