Secondhand Smoke Linked to Type 2 Diabetes and Obesity

Adults who are exposed to secondhand smoke have higher rates of obesity and Type 2 diabetes than do nonsmokers without environmental exposure to tobacco smoke. The findings were presented June 24th 2012 at The Endocrine Society's 94th Annual Meeting in Houston.
"More effort needs to be made to reduce exposure of individuals to secondhand smoke," said study co-author Theodore C. Friedman, MD, PhD., chairman of the Department of Internal Medicine at Charles R. Drew University, Los Angeles.
Studies have shown an association between cigarette smoking and an increased rate of Type 2 diabetes despite the fact that most smokers are leaner than nonsmokers and obesity is a risk factor for Type 2 diabetes. Although some studies have suggested a relationship between Type 2 diabetes and secondhand smoking, Friedman said these studies have not verified exposure to secondhand smoke through blood levels of cotinine, which is a metabolite of nicotine, which measures a person's exposure to tobacco smoke.
In this current study, Friedman and his fellow researchers used cotinine levels to verify secondhand smoking. They examined data from more than 6,300 adults who participated from 2001 to 2006 in the National Health and Nutritional Examination Survey, a nationally representative sample of the US population. The investigators defined current smokers, which made up 25% of the sample, as survey participants who reported that they smoke cigarettes and had a measured cotinine level greater than 3 nanograms per milliliter. Nonsmokers, which made up 41% of the sample, were those who answered a "no" to the question "Do you smoke cigarettes?" and who had a cotinine level of .05 nanograms per milliliter. Those whose cotinine levels were above .005 nanograms were considered secondhand smokers.
The researchers controlled for age, sex, race, alcohol consumption, and physical activity. They found that, compared with nonsmokers, secondhand smokers had a higher measure of insulin resistance, a condition that can lead to Type 2 diabetes; higher levels of fasting blood glucose, or blood sugar, and a higher hemoglobin  A1c, a measure of blood sugar control over the last three months.
Secondhand smokers also had a higher rate of Type 2 diabetes, as defined by a A1c greater than 6.5%. Secondhand smokers had a similar rate of diabetes to that of current smokers. Their body mass index was high, compared to nonsmokers. Current smokers had a lower BMI than nonsmokers but a higher A1c. When the researchers controlled BMI, they found that both secondhand smokers and current smokers still had a higher A1c than nonsmokers.
"This finding shows that the association between secondhand smoke and Type 2 diabetes was not due to obesity. More studies are needed to show whether secondhand smoke is a cause of diabetes," said Friedman.
If you are a diabetic and do not currently see a podiatrist, call our Bristol office to make an appointment.
Richard E. Ehle, DPM
Connecticut Foot Care Centers
Diabetic Foot Care in CT
Podiatrist in Bristol, CT
Visit our website, friend and like our page on Facebook, and follow my tweets on Twitter.