Shisha has weighty issues

A new study has indicated that people who smoke shisha have a significantly increased risk of becoming obese and developing diabetes, according to a story in The Egyptian Streets.

The study, which was carried out by the Brighton and Sussex Medical School (BSMS), UK, found that smokers of shisha were more likely than were non-smokers to gain weight and develop type 2 diabetes.

“It is possible that the toxins in the smoke stimulate an inflammatory response that causes tissues to become resistant to the effects of the hormone insulin, that regulates glucose in the blood,” the head of the Department of Medical Education at BSMS, Professor Gordon Ferns, was quoted as saying.

“However, it is also possible that hookah smoking is associated with other social behaviors that lead to weight gain.”

The study’s 9,840 participants included non-smokers, ex-smokers, cigarette smokers, hookah smokers and those who smoked both cigarettes and hookahs.