Smoking tobacco increases the risk of diabetes complications and, just like diabetes, affects the blood vessels, and considerably increases the risk of:
- heart attack
- stroke
- eye, kidney and nervous-system problems
In addition to increasing the risk of complications, smoking reduces the body’s sensitivity to insulin, which means that a person with type 2 diabetes who smokes will see a rise in his insulin resistance.
Smoking: a risk factor for diabetes?
Although smoking isn’t typically considered to be a risk factor for diabetes, several studies have shown that smokers are more prone to developing type 2 diabetes than non-smokers or people who have quit smoking (Willi and al., 2007; Spijkerman and al., 2014).
There is also a link to the amount (Zhang and al., 2011): the more a person smokes, the higher the risk of developing diabetes. Fortunately, this risk progressively declines after a person quits smoking.
Take action
Do you want to quit smoking? Talk to your doctor, consult those resources and get control of your health!