SMOKING AND DIABETES-MELLITUS - FINDINGS FROM 1988 BEHAVIORAL RISK FACTOR SURVEILLANCE SYSTEM

Objective: To examine the association between smoking and self-reported diabetes mellitus. Research Design and Methods: The study was comprised of 3006 people greater-than-or-equal-to 18 yr of age with diabetes and 52,750 without diabetes. Results: Twenty-six percent (SE 1.8) of the diabetic population were current smokers, 25.9% (SE 1.4) were former smokers, and 48.1% (SE 2) had never smoked. Similar percentages were found among the nondiabetic population. Compared to respondents without diabetes, the prevalence of current smoking was notably higher among respondents with diabetes who were between the ages of 18 and 34 yr (36.1%, SE 4.1), who had not graduated from high school (44.9%, SE 3.7), and who were men of African-American origin (54.8%, SE 5.8). Conclusions: Despite the excess risks, the overall prevalence of smoking in the diabetic population is comparable to that of the general population. Our finding of a higher prevalence of smoking among young people, people who had not graduated from high school, and African-American men with diabetes suggests that additional educational efforts should be targeted at these groups.