Story at a glance
- An analysis of 2016 to 2018 data from the Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System (BRFSS), found that 9 percent of more than 600,000 respondents reported using e-cigarettes alongside a prediabetes diagnosis.
- There is already a documented link between traditional cigarette use and diabetes.
- Given the possible link between e-cigarette use and prediabetes suggested in the study, researchers recommend discontinuing the use of vaping products.
New research suggests there could be a link between e-cigarette use — or vaping — and prediabetes diagnoses.
An analysis of 2016 to 2018 data from the Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System (BRFSS), the largest annual nationally representative health survey in the U.S., found that 9 percent of more than 600,000 respondents reported using e-cigarettes alongside a prediabetes diagnosis.
“Our study demonstrated a clear association of prediabetes risk with the use of e-cigarettes,” lead investigator Shyam Biswal at Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health said in a press release.
“With both e-cigarette use and prevalence of prediabetes dramatically on the rise in the past decade, our discovery that e-cigarettes carry a similar risk to traditional cigarettes with respect to diabetes is important for understanding and treating vulnerable individuals.”
Prediabetes, a reversible condition usually associated with a person’s lifestyle, is indicated by a higher-than-normal blood sugar level. The condition could lead to the onset of type 2 diabetes without lifestyle changes.
There is a documented link between traditional cigarette use and diabetes, and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) notes people who smoke are 30 to 40 percent more likely to develop type 2 diabetes.
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Given the possible link between e-cigarette use and prediabetes suggested in the study, researchers recommend discontinuing the use of vaping products as a means to reduce stress. Meanwhile, the study also showed e-cigarette users reported a greater prevalence of higher risk lifestyle decision.
Biswal said that researchers involved in the study were surprised by the correlation as these products have been “touted as a safer alternative” to traditional cigarettes, noting nicotine in traditional cigarettes “has a detrimental effect on insulin action, and it appears that e-cigarettes may also have the same.”
“Our effort for smoking cessation has led to a decrease in smoking traditional cigarettes. With this information, it is time for us to ramp up our public health efforts to promote the cessation of e-cigarettes,” Biswal concluded.
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