Study: E-cigarette use increases risk of prediabetes, especially when combined with traditional cigarettes

A new study from the University of Georgia (USA) shows that people who smoke traditional cigarettes, e-cigarettes or a combination of both have a higher risk of developing diabetes and prediabetes than non-smokers.

Smoking significantly increases the risk of prediabetes

The results showed that smokers were significantly more likely to be diagnosed with prediabetes or diabetes than non-smokers. The study's lead author, Sulakshan Neupane, a doctoral student in the University of Georgia's School of Agricultural & Environmental Sciences, said:

'In an era where e-cigarettes are promoted as a 'safer alternative', these findings suggest they may pose serious risks and may silently contribute to long-term health problems such as prediabetes and diabetes. Understanding the systemic effects of e-cigarettes, not just on the lungs but also on metabolism and overall health, is crucial.'

According to the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), e-cigarette use is rapidly growing in popularity, especially among young people. This study warns that diabetes rates in this age group could increase as the 'vaping' habit spreads.

Most vulnerable groups

The study also found that Hispanics, people of color and low-income people, especially those with underlying health conditions, were at significantly higher risk of developing prediabetes or diabetes.

Based on more than 1.2 million survey data from the Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System (BRFSS), the research team analyzed the association between smoking traditional cigarettes, e-cigarettes, and prediabetes-diabetes diagnosis.

The results showed that vaping increased the risk of prediabetes by 7%, possibly due to temporary weight gain and insulin resistance – two common risk factors. 7% may sound small, but it equates to about 7,000 new cases of prediabetes each year in the US. Specifically, smoking traditional cigarettes increased the risk by 15%, while smoking and vaping both increased the risk by 28%.

People who used both drugs were also more likely – 7% and 9%, respectively – to be diagnosed with diabetes (not just prediabetes).

Using e-cigarettes alone increased the risk of prediabetes, and combining the two forms of smoking increased the risk even further, suggesting a synergistic effect when using the two products together.

Research shows that many other factors can increase the risk of prediabetes and diabetes, including:

Being overweight or obese while smoking makes the condition worse.
Hispanics, blacks, and Asians are more likely to be diagnosed than whites.
Low income also increases the risk by about 12%.

In addition, people with financial difficulties often suffer from psychological stress, easily turn to cigarettes or alcohol to relieve stress, and that inadvertently increases risk factors.'

However, there was a positive sign: regular exercise reduced the risk of prediabetes by 8% in smokers, opening up an effective way to reduce risk. This result has important implications for guiding public health policy – to reduce smoking and improve metabolic health.