A new study from the University of Georgia found that those who smoke cigarettes, use e-cigarettes, or both are significantly more likely to develop prediabetes and diabetes.
The results refute the idea that vaping is a “safer” option by showing how it can worsen insulin resistance and interfere with metabolic health.
The researchers also found that the likelihood of developing diabetes or prediabetes was even higher among Hispanics and blacks living in lower socioeconomic conditions and among those with preexisting health problems.
Using more than 1.2 million data points from the Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System survey, researchers analyzed e-cigarette and standard smoking use and how they correlated with the diagnosis of prediabetes and diabetes.
The study found that vaping was associated with a 7% increase in the risk of prediabetes. E-cigarette use can cause short-term insulin resistance and weight gain, both risk factors for prediabetes.
Smoking cigarettes and traditional cigars raised that risk to 15%. For people who vaped and smoked, the risk was even higher, at 28 percent.
Cigarette and e-cigarette users also had higher odds, 7 and 9%, respectively, of being diagnosed with diabetes overall, as well as developing risk factors.
The researchers found that a variety of characteristics could further raise the risk of being diagnosed with prediabetes and diabetes.
Being overweight or obese while smoking increased the likelihood of these disorders, as e-cigarette users with a higher body mass index performed worse than vapers of normal weight.
Hispanic, Black, and Asian people who smoked or vaped were more likely to be diagnosed with prediabetes or diabetes than white people.
People in lower income categories also faced a higher risk (12%) of both conditions.
But regular exercise made a difference, reducing the risk of prediabetes for smokers by 8%, which the researchers say offers a chance for mitigation.
Sulakshan Neupane, lead author of the study and a doctoral student in the UGA School of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences, said in a commentary: “As e-cigarette use increases rapidly, it is vital that we understand their broader health impacts.”
Neupane said it’s no longer just about the lungs, but about the whole body and metabolic health.
According to him, “People who do not earn enough money experience mental stress and tend to smoke or consume alcohol to reduce that stress, leading to increased risk factors. These findings have important implications for public health efforts to curb smoking and improve diabetes outcomes.”
Experts suggested that vaping may cause short-term insulin resistance, a key risk factor for prediabetes; Nicotine can reduce insulin secretion from the pancreas, contributing to high blood glucose levels and potentially leading to diabetes over time, and vaping is associated with weight gain, another risk factor.