Measuring disease-related distress and depression in diabetics can help management of diabetes, according to a new multi-disciplinary study.

The study of 180 diabetes patients found that diabetes-related distress interfered with patients' ability to manage their blood glucose.

The study also showed that levels of distress were influenced by heritable genetic changes in the way patients' bodies handle serotonin.

Researchers are now working on an algorithm to identify people at risk of distress and personalise their treatment options.