Quitters Raise Short-Term Diabetes Risk

Smokers are known to have an increased risk of developing diabetes. But those who quit may have an even higher diabetes risk for a few years, a new study found. The increased risk was directly related to weight gain, researchers told HealthDay News. Researchers said smokers should not let this news keep them from quitting. But their doctors should pay special attention to weight counseling. The study included 11,000 middle-aged people. They were not diabetic when the study started. During the next 9 years, about 380 quit smoking. In that time, they were 70% more likely to develop diabetes than people who never smoked. The higher risk lasted for about six years after they quit. But people who kept on smoking also were more likely to develop diabetes. Their risk was 30% higher than for people who never smoked. The study appeared January 5 in the journal Annals of Internal Medicine.