By IANS
New York : If you want another reason to quit smoking, here it is. A latest study says that regular smokers are likely to face increased risk of type 2 diabetes. The risk is very much same for those who are not chain smokers.
Type 2 diabetes is a life-long disease marked by high levels of sugar in the blood.
Researchers at the University of Lausanne in the US have found that smokers had a 44 percent increased risk of falling prey to the disease compared with non-smokers, with the risk rising with the number of cigarettes smoked.
The study found that the increased risk for those who smoked at least 20 cigarettes a day rose to 61 percent. For lighter smokers the risk was 29 percent higher than the risk for a non-smoker, BBC News online edition reported.
The increased risk of developing diabetes in former smokers was 23 percent, the scientists said in their findings reported in the Journal of the American Medical Association study.
Smoking is already known to cause 87 percent of lung cancer deaths. It is also responsible for many cancers and health problems. Smoking is a greater cause of death and disability than any single disease.