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.