Passive smoking a diabetes precursor

The dangers of both first and second-hand smoke are now well known. However, the influence of passive smoking can also increase the risk of a person developing glucose intolerance. Glucose intolerance is widely regarded as a precursor to diabetes, and is one part of metabolic syndrome and pre-diabetes.
The new study, carried out in Alabama by an expert team, found that smokers who faced the highest risks of developing glucose intolerance, with passive smokers also affected. The study breaks ground, because tobacco exposure amongst people who have never smoked a cigarette has not been linked to glucose intolerance.
Glucose intolerance means the insufficient levels of insulin are produced to automatically control blood sugar levels, leading to type 2 diabetes. The study investigated a team of 4,572 subjects over the course of 15 years. The study group were located in four American cities. Smokers remained at the highest risk, with a 17 per cent risk for non-smokers who breathed second-hand smoke.
The study also differentiated between races, with white people more susceptible than African-Americans. Passive smoke was found to contain a variety of similar toxins to active smoke, with some toxins being even more concentrated in passive smoke.