While smoking is linked to an increased risk of developing diabetes, this risk appears to drop over the long term once cigarette use stops, a review of evidence suggests.
Researchers analyzed data on almost 5.9 million people in 88 previous studies examining the connection between smoking, second-hand smoke exposure and diabetes. They estimated that roughly 28 million type 2 diabetes cases worldwide – or about 11.7% of cases in men and 2.4% in women – could be attributed to active smoking.
The more cigarettes smokers consumed, the more their odds of getting diabetes increased.
If they quit, ex-smokers initially faced an even higher risk of diabetes, but as more years pass without cigarette use their odds of getting the disease gradually diminished, the analysis found.
More Evidence Links Smoking Cessation to Lowered Diabetes Risk
