Two New Reasons To Quit Smoking

2023 Author: Abraham Higgins | [email protected]. Last modified: 2023-07-31 03:44

Two new reasons to quit smoking

Two American studies actually increase the number of reasons to quit smoking. One of them shows that people with diabetes, despite the possible weight gain, it is better to leave the bad habit. In another study, researchers found that smoking can have a much greater negative effect on cognitive function than previously thought.

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Two American studies actually increase the number of reasons to quit smoking. One of them shows that people with diabetes, despite the possible weight gain, it is better to leave the bad habit. In another study, researchers found that smoking can have a much greater negative effect on cognitive function than previously thought. Both scientific papers were presented at a meeting of the American Heart Association.

In a study of the relationship between smoking cessation, weight change and the risk of death from cardiovascular disease in people with diabetes, the authors analyzed information from two scientific papers that included 10,895 patients. Overweight and obesity are risk factors for diabetes, while diabetes and smoking are major risk factors for heart attacks, strokes and other cardiovascular diseases.

Scientists have found that the benefits of smoking cessation in people with diabetes far outweigh the negative effects of weight gain, even though weight gain is a risk factor for cardiovascular disease. Compared to people with diabetes who continued to smoke, the risk of heart attack, stroke and other cardiovascular diseases did not increase in recent quitters who gained up to 5 kg, or even those who gained more than 5 kg. Those who recently quit smoking (less than 6 years ago) and did not gain weight had a 34% lower risk of cardiovascular disease. The risk was 25% lower among those who quit smoking more than six years ago and 41% in people with diabetes who had never smoked.

“Weight gain should not be a barrier to smoking cessation among people with diabetes, and if quitters take action to prevent weight gain, it will further increase the health benefits of smoking cessation,” said Gang Liu lead study author at the Harvard TH Chan School of Public Health in Boston.

A second study by researchers from Johns Hopkins University highlights the link between smoking and cognitive decline, that is, impaired memory and thinking.

Although tobacco use has previously been associated with an increased risk of cognitive decline, it is difficult to measure the exact extent of its impact because smokers often quit or die before the end of long-term studies.

In the current study, American scientists took these factors into account and adapted the methodology to analyze the impact of tobacco use on 4,960 people who had no cognitive impairment at the start of the study. The researchers followed the participants for five years, regularly assessing the participants' memory, speech function, and logical thinking abilities.

Then the results of those who smoked a pack a day for 25 years were compared with those of never smoked people. Ultimately, the researchers found that the harmful effects of tobacco on the cognitive ability of smokers were twice as large as previous studies had suggested.