Women who have a higher proportion of abdominal fat, as well as elevated stress levels, may be at risk of developing high blood sugar and type 2 diabetes, new research suggests.

A study conducted by researchers at Duke University Medical Center looked at the effect of belly fat and stress on black women, Reuters Health reports. African-American women have a disproportionally high tendency toward diabetes, the researchers said.

Dr. Anastasia Georgiades and colleagues studied 62 women without diabetes, assessing how their blood sugar responded to emotional stress. They also measured a hormone known as epinephrine, which is released in stressful situations.

The researchers found that those subjects who had more belly fat and higher levels of epinephrine were also more likely to have elevated blood sugar.

“If you are overweight, then stress is going to interact with that extra weight and perhaps increase your blood sugar,” researcher Dr. Richard Surwit told the news provider.

Some people who are trying to control their blood sugar and prevent diabetes use nutritional supplements to help maintain a healthy diet.