Friday July 4, 2014 (foodconsumer.org) -- It has been known that smoking cessation is linked to weight gain, which is in turn associated with increased risk of type 2 diabetes mellitus.  A study recently published in PLOS One found a direct association between smoking cessation and elevated risk of type 2 diabetes mellitus and impaired fasting glucose.

Participating in the study were 1504 smokers at a mean of 44.7 years old and smoked 21.4 cigarettes per day.  The study showed that of 914 participants, 238 abstainers were found to have greater weight gain, waist circumference and increased fasting glucose levels by the third year, compared with 676 participants who continued smoking.

A 3-year abstinence was correlated with 160% increased risk of type 2 diabetes mellitus and 143% increased risk for impaired fasting glucose.

Risk of type 2 diabetes mellitus was associated with older age, higher baseline body weight, weight gain and baseline smoking rate, baseline impaired fasting glucose and baseline hemoglobin A1C.

Those who were heavy smokers, but quit smoking were more likely to develop type 2 diabetes mellitus and those who had greater body weight at baseline, but continue smoking were at greater risk of type 2 diabetes mellitus.

The study concluded "Quitting smoking is associated with increased diabetes and IFG (impaired fasting glucose) risk. Independent risk factors include older age, baseline body weight, baseline glycemic status, and heavier pre-quit smoking. These findings may help target smokers for interventions to prevent dysglycemia." (David Liu, PHD)

James H. Stein,  Asha Asthana, Stevens S. Smith, Megan E. Piper, Wei-Yin Loh, Michael C. Fiore, Timothy B. Baker, Smoking Cessation and the Risk of Diabetes Mellitus and Impaired Fasting Glucose: Three-Year Outcomes after a Quit Attempt, PLOS One. Published: June 03, 2014