Smoking, drinking strong predictors of mortality among type 2 diabetics
Lifestyle behaviors are strong predictors of mortality among people living with type 2 diabetes, according to a study published online in the journal Diabetes Care.
Researchers in central Taiwan set out to examine the effects of tobacco smoking, alcohol drinking, physical inactivity and carbohydrate intake among more than 5,600 patients aged 30 to 94 years with type 2 diabetes.
“After adjusting for the traditional risk factors, we found that combined lifestyle behavior was independently associated with all-cause mortality and mortality due to diabetes, cardiovascular disease, and cancer,” according to the research article.
The researchers found that patients with three or more of those combined lifestyle behaviors were three-and-a-half times more likely to die of a combination of the above diseases compared with patients who had none of the mentioned behaviors.
Those with three or more points also had an almost five times greater risk of diabetes-specific mortality and a more than four times greater risk of cardiovascular disease specific mortality. The combined lifestyle behavior was not significantly associated with cancer mortality.
High-risk lifestyle behaviors
According to Mayo Clinic, heavy drinking and heavy smoking can both lead to type 2 diabetes. Heavy alcohol use can cause chronic inflammation of the pancreas. This inhibits insulin secretion, causing the person to eventually develop diabetes.
Mayo Clinic states that heavy smoking of at least 20 cigarettes daily doubles a person’s risk of type 2 diabetes compared with nonsmokers. Smoking increases blood glucose levels and leads to insulin resistance.
Excessive carbohydrates in the diet lead to higher blood sugar. Planning meals using carbohydrate counting can help diabetics manage blood glucose levels. People living with diabetes must balance proteins, fats and carbohydrates for successful meal planning.
The research article will appear in the January 2012 print version of Diabetes Care.
Sources: Diabetes Care journal, Mayo Clinic, American Diabetes Association
photo by John Nyboer
More Articles
With its slightly nutty flavor, chewy texture, and nutritional punch farro is an ancient whole grain worth a place in our pantry.
Farro...
Having diabetes is cause for concern, however it doesn’t mean that you need to eliminate all of your favorite foods from your diet completely....
With diabetes becoming more of an epidemic each and every day, being knowledgeable about the disease, its effects on the body as well as ways to...
If you’re a diabetic or live with one, it can be tough trying to figure out the best foods to eat because your priority is to control your blood...
In this post, I will show you the 10 best ice creams for diabetics.
When you think of sweetened foods that a diabetic shouldn’t consume,...
More Articles
If you’re living with diabetes, snacking is a necessity because going for more than 3-4 hours without eating can be detrimental to your health....
For diabetics, choosing healthy snacks can be a daunting task.
A good rule of thumb is to pick out snacks that are rich in protein, fiber,...
According to information available through the National Institutes of Health, there’s an estimated 462 million people in the world who are...
Eleven Clinical Studies
After eleven clinical studies and 300,000 participants, researcher Vasanti Malik and her team of researchers...
Diabetic women often have a harder time losing weight than non-diabetic women. A study funded by Jenny Craig proved that diabetic women have an...
Many recent studies have proved that magnesium levels are lower in patients with diabetes than in non-diabetics. This magnesium...
Fluid retention, also known as edema, is a problem that affects many diabetics, especially those with type 2 diabetes...
Some of us might be thrilled if we could manage our blood sugar by sitting in a hot tub or sauna, instead of working up a sweat biking, or using...
Cooking and baking with the ancient cereal grain sorghum has health benefits for people with diabetes, and those with weight control issues....
When it comes to certain foods, there are always questions as to whether or not a diabetic can have them without...
Matcha tea is a rich, creamy, full-bodied beverage with amazing nutritional properties that address several diabetes health concerns.
The...
Salads are good example of foods that type 2 diabetics can enjoy with relatively low guilt. With the right greens and other elements added, salad...
Remaining gainfully employed is important to many people. Those who live with any form of diabetes may find that some lines of work are more...
Learning that you have diabetes does mean making some lifestyle changes. One of the areas that needs attention is your diet. Most people find that...
One of the more challenging aspects of life as a type 2 diabetic is managing your diet. There’s often the temptation to avoid certain foods...