Yeh HC, Duncan BB, Schmidt MI, et al. Smoking, smoking cessation, and risk for type 2 diabetes mellitus: a cohort study. Ann Intern Med. 2010;152:10-17.

Current research has discovered that although quitting smoking has endless health benefits, it can still pose a risk. In a study published in the January 2010 issue of the Annals of Internal Medicine, examiners showed that smoking cessation actually lead to a short-term risk of developing type 2 diabetes mellitus. One reason for this may be due to overeating after smoking cessation. Obesity is a known risk factor for type 2 diabetes.

This study took 10,892 middle-aged adults who had never been diagnosed with diabetes from 1987 to 1989. Participants were followed over the course of 17 years. Testing was regularly conducted to check diabetes status, glucose levels, and weight. Smoking status was established via interview at the start of the study, and at the conclusion. The results showed that after 9 years, 1,254 of the participants developed type 2 diabetes. Additionally, the heaviest smokers of the group had a 42% higher risk of developing the disease than their nonsmoking peers. In the first 3 years of follow-up, 380 of the participants quit smoking and gained an average of 8.4 pounds. The highest risk occurred in the first 3 years of cessation, and then diminished to zero at 12 years.