On February 9, 2015, the Journal of Developmental Origins of Health and Disease published the University of California study entitled “Tobacco-Smoking Moms and Dads Increase Diabetes Risk for Children in Utero”.

The study surveyed 1800 daughters of women who participated in the Child Health and Development Studies over a seven year period.

In previous studies, fetal exposure to cigarette smoke has also been linked to higher rates of obesity and low birth weight. This study found that birth weight did not effect whether the daughters of smoking parents developed diabetes.

They also found that smoking of parents is by itself a risk factor for diabetes, independent of obesity or birth weight.  If a parent smokes, you’re not protected from diabetes just because you’re lean.