Chewing tobacco and dementia

In a recent study in the journal Nature Communications, researchers systematically reviewed and synthesized the literature on the health risks associated with chewing tobacco. Their results indicate that people who chew tobacco are significantly more likely to suffer from strokes and several cancers.

While chewing tobacco is not as prevalent as smoking cigarettes, estimates suggest that more than 270 million people use smokeless tobacco products, of whom the majority live in India and Bangladesh.

Smoking has declined since the 1990s, while the popularity of chewing tobacco appears to have increased, including among women.

The highest risks were of stroke and esophageal cancer, with a conservative estimate suggesting an increase in incidence of 2-16%.