Smoking And The Risk Of Developing Diabetes Mellitus Type 2 In Young Adult Patients

Abstract

“According to the latest data from the Vigitel survey (Surveillance of Risk Factors and Protection for Chronic Diseases by Telephone Survey), from the Ministry of Health, the rate of young consumers between 18 and 24 years old jumped from 7.4% in 2016, to 8.5% in 2017.” This statement demonstrates that even with public policies to combat smoking, the prevalence of this problem is still specific in Brazil and has become a common practice among young people. Smoking is a public health problem and can be defined as a chronic disease characterized by nicotine dependence, which is acquired through the consumption of products containing tobacco. Several health problems related to tobacco use, such as pulmonary emphysema, lung cancer, tongue cancer, chronic bronchitis, cataracts, osteoporosis and several studies demonstrate their relationship with the development of diabetes mellitus, this is because cigarettes increase resistance insulin by decreasing its peripheral action. Therefore, the use of tobacco deregulates glycemic control and increases the manifestation of the disease, or generates decompensation for those patients who already have the pathology. According to Dr. Fernanda Pena (endocrinologist specializing in metabolism), the risk of developing diabetes is 30 to 40% higher in smokers than in non-smokers and studies suggest that 10% of all cases of type 2 diabetes can be directly targeted to smoking.