Passive smoking increases diabetes risk

Active and passive smoking appears to increase the risk of developing type 2 diabetes, according to a new meta-analysis. However, quitting ‘substantially’ reduces the risk. The meta-analysis is, to the best of the authors’ knowledge, the first examining the association between smoking cessation and diabetes risk.

The meta-analysis included 88 studies with almost 5.9 million participants and 295,446 cases of type 2 diabetes. Passive smoking was associated with a 22% increased risk of developing type 2 diabetes compared with non-smokers who were not exposed to second-hand smoke. Active smoking was associated with a 37% increased risk of developing type 2 diabetes compared with non-smoking.