Scientists: E-cigarettes increase the risk of diabetes by 1.5 times
Researchers at Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine have found that smokers of e-cigarettes have an increased risk of developing diabetes.
The scientists outlined the details in an article published in the American Journal of Preventive Medicine.
The risk of developing type 2 diabetes in smokers is 30-40% higher than in non-smokers. The researchers set out to find out if these risks extend to e-cigarettes.
To do this, scientists analyzed the medical data of more than 600,000 people, 9% of whom reported using e-cigarettes and having prediabetes. The risk of developing prediabetes for e-cigarettes compared to those who neither smoked nor used e-cigarettes was 1.54 times higher.
Our study showed a clear association between the risk of developing prediabetes and the use of e-cigarettes. Given the rise in both e-cigarette use and the prevalence of prediabetes over the past decade, our finding is important for identifying and treating vulnerable groups of people,” the authors report.
Additionally, e-cigarettes rated their physical and mental health lower than non-smokers.
Perhaps the target is nicotine, as the authors of the work point out – it interferes with the action of insulin. Prediabetes can be reversed through lifestyle changes, and avoiding vaping is likely to help correct the condition in this case.
