PositiveTip for
Smoking Cessation Raises Short-term Risk for Type 2 Diabetes
Posted by Fred Hardinge on
Quitting cigarettes associated with short-term increase in diabetes risk.
Can doing something very good for your health raise the risk of another problem? A 9 year study showed that those who quit smoking had significantly increased risk of developing type 2 diabetes during the first 3 years of cessation. Smokers who don't quit also face an increased risk of this disease, but the adjusted risk was higher in the short-term for those who quit. Perhaps weight and systemic inflammation contribute to this increased risk. In light of these findings should smoker's quit? Absolutely! The authors write, "Of course, smoking cessation has many beneficial health effects that outweigh this short-term risk." There are no excuses here!
PositiveTip: Quitting smoking is the single most important thing a smoker can do to improve their health! An aggressive focus on lifestyle and weight management following cessation is prudent also.
Comments (2)
#1 from Elvin Adams on .
I think this is is due to the weight gain that smokers often experience when they quit. Diabetes wouldn't appear or get worse if a person was careful not to eat more when he or she quit smoking. This is a straight forward problem that can be completely avoided by taking up some exercise and watching what you eat when you quit.
#2 from Fred Hardinge on .
Thank you for your comment, Dr. Adams. No doubt you are right. Faith physical activity and a wise, healthful diet should minimize or eliminate the risk of diabetes following smoking cessation.
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