Brad Rodu
Rodu’s research focuses on the substitution of safer tobacco products by smokers who are unable or unwilling to quit smoking with conventional cessation methods because of their addiction to nicotine. His research in comparative epidemiology established the scientific foundation for harm reduction and he continues to study clinical and social interventions aimed at harm reduction.
Latest posts by Brad Rodu (see all)
- The War Against Tobacco Flavors Will Fail - February 7, 2019
- American Cancer Society Sees Zero Cancer Risk for Smokeless Tobacco - June 15, 2018
- UC San Francisco Authors Inadvertently Validate Our Call for Retraction - April 6, 2018
A Swedish research study finds that heavy consumption of snus is associated with type 2 diabetes (abstract here).
Analyzing data from six groups of Swedish men, researchers found no risk of type 2 diabetes in all snus users combined, but they reported a modest elevated risk with higher levels of consumption, at 5-6 cans per week (Relative risk, RR = 1.42, 95% Confidence Interval, CI = 1.07 – 1.87) or 7+ cans per week (RR = 1.68, CI = 1.17 – 2.41).
In a Karolinska Institute press release (here), lead research author Sofia Carlsson said, “We can confirm earlier suspicions that snus-users have a higher risk of type 2 diabetes.” In fact, the new study confirmed only one “earlier suspicion”, as Carlsson’s is only the second study to show an association at higher consumption levels. Here are the results from the four studies that have been published to date:
| Studies of Snus Use and Type 2 Diabetes in Sweden | |
|---|---|
| Author, Year, Snus Users | Relative Risk (95% CI) |
| Eliasson et al., 2004 | |
| Current snus users (prevalent diabetes) | 1.06 (0.43 – 2.64) |
| Current snus users (follow-up diabetes) | No cases |
| Ӧstenson et al., 2012 | |
| Current snus users | 1.1 (0.6 – 2.0) |
| 1-5 cans per week | 0.6 (0.2 – 1.4) |
| 6+ cans per week | 3.3 (1.4 – 8.1) |
| Rasouli et al., 2017 | |
| A. Current snus users | 0.96 (0.67 – 1.37) |
| A. Ever snus users | |
| Less than 5 boxes per week | 0.78 (0.56 – 1.09) |
| 5+ boxes per week | 0.95 (0.57 – 1.58) |
| B. Ever snus users | 0.91 (0.75 – 1.10) |
| Less than 3 boxes per week | 0.88 (0.72 – 1.08) |
| 3 + boxes per week | 0.92 (0.46 – 1.83) |
| Carlsson et al., 2017 | |
| Current snus users | 1.15 (1.00 – 1.32) |
| 1-2 boxes per week | 1.14 (0.86 – 1.50) |
| 3-4 boxes per week | 1.03 (0.82 – 1.29) |
| 5-6 boxes per week | 1.42 (1.07 – 1.87) |
| 7+ boxes per week | 1.68 (1.17 – 2.41) |
- Swedish snus users
- Norwegian snus users
Significantly elevated RRs
While those two studies suggest that high snus consumption is associated with type 2 diabetes, more research is needed to confirm a link. Many other factors are known to contribute to this type of diabetes (here), including age, overweight or obesity, inactive lifestyle, smoking (here), family history, high blood pressure and high blood cholesterol levels. Research and analysis must fully account for these factors in order to confirm or refute a snus link.
[First published at Tobacco Truth at http://rodutobaccotruth.blogspot.com]
