Bitter fumes: Second-hand smoke raises diabetes risk

(Source: The Times of India, 12 March 2011)
Cigarette smoke istied to a higher risk of type 2 diabetes , formerly known as adult-onset diabetes, for both smokers and the people around them , a study said. And the more secondhand smoke people are exposed to, the greater their risk of the disease , which results from insulin resistance — in which cells fail to use insulin properly — sometimes combined with an absolute insulin deficiency, according to the study , published in "Diabetes Care ."

"Accumulating evidence has identified a positive association between active smoking and the risk of diabetes , but previous studies had limited information on passive smoking or changes in smoking behavior over time ," wrote John Forman at Brigham and Women's hospital in Boston , who led the study. Read more