Quitting smoking reduces the risk of type 2 diabetes by 40%
A joint report from the WHO (World Health Organization), the International Diabetes Federation and the University of Newcastle, in the United Kingdom, highlights another benefit of stopping smoking: a 30% to 40% reduction in the risk of developing type 2 diabetes , a chronic metabolic disease with a significant impact on the healthcare system.
In Brazil, the most recent data from the Vigitel telephone survey (Surveillance of Risk and Protective Factors for Chronic Diseases) shows that 10.2% of the population has diabetes. Furthermore, 90% of people with the disease in the country have type 2, which appears when the body develops resistance to the effects of insulin, often associated with bad habits and a sedentary lifestyle. The number of cases has increased, including among younger people.
According to the WHO, diabetes is the ninth leading cause of death in the world and is a disease that could be avoided with basic lifestyle changes, such as not smoking, practicing physical activity and maintaining a healthy diet. “Smoking is one of the most important modifiable risk factors for diabetes, alongside obesity and a sedentary lifestyle, which directly impact the increased risk of the disease,” said endocrinologist Clayton Macedo, who coordinates the Exercise and Exercise Endocrinology Center. of Sports at Hospital Israelita Albert Einstein.
The report, released in November this year, highlights that cigarettes influence the body’s ability to control blood sugar levels, increasing the risk of complications associated with diabetes, such as cardiovascular problems, kidney failure and blindness. Furthermore, the document states that smoking delays the wound healing process in patients with diabetes, which increases the risk of limb amputations.
“This report is very important because it consolidates literature data that shows a 30% to 40% increased risk of smokers developing diabetes. And the risk of developing the disease is not just for those who smoke. There is an association with an increased risk of diabetes also for people who live with smokers and are exposed to passive smoking”, warned Macedo. The doctor points out that, although the risk of developing type 2 diabetes decreases with smoking cessation, it still persists in the first five to ten years after stopping smoking. Therefore, the sooner a person stops smoking, the better.
Mechanism of smoking in diabetes
According to the Brazilian Diabetes Society, several studies have investigated the mechanisms that contribute to the increased risk of complications in people with diabetes who smoke. Among them, central obesity, high concentrations of cortisol, increased inflammatory markers and oxidative stress stand out. Furthermore, nicotine appears to bind to the nicotinic receptors on the beta cells of the pancreas, responsible for the production of insulin, thus reducing the secretion of this hormone.
“Cigarette smoking increases insulin resistance by decreasing its peripheral action. Therefore, the fact that a person smokes causes them to have worse glucose control. The action of tobacco increases the risk of a person developing diabetes or decompensating the disease,” said Macedo.
Cardiologist Jaqueline Scholz, specialist in smoking treatment and scientific advisor at Socesp (Society of Cardiology of the State of São Paulo), also explains that smoking causes vascular damage (dysfunctions of the endothelium, which is the wall of the vessels) and changes the profile of lipids in the blood: increases bad cholesterol and decreases good cholesterol, favoring the formation of plaques that will increase the risk of cardiovascular diseases.
“Smoking cessation is a necessity in any situation. But in those people where there is an associated health condition, such as diabetes or hypertension, it is mandatory to stop smoking because the benefit and impact on health are multiplied, and the risk is intensely reduced. Quitting smoking is absolutely necessary for everyone and, among those with diabetes, it should be a priority”, said the cardiologist.
According to Macedo, smokers with diabetes face several increased risks, including a 44% increase in the risk of developing cardiovascular disease, 51% more likely to develop coronary heart disease, 54% more susceptibility to suffering a stroke, and a 43% increase in the risk of heart failure.
“The worst of all is the risk of peripheral arterial disease, such as ischemia of the lower limbs. In these cases, the risk is 2.15 times greater than that of a person with diabetes who does not smoke”, he warned, and added that the risk of dying from the disease is more than six times greater among smokers with diabetes than among those who smoke. has diabetes and does not smoke.
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