Smoking cessation = weight gain
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Smoking cessation = weight gain
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A meta-analysis published in the BMJ recently has found that " smoking cessation is associated with a mean increase of 4-5 kg in body weight after 12 months of abstinence, and most weight gain occurs
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Smoking cessation = weight gain
posted at 9/8/2012 11:38 AM BST
on bmj.com
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*Moderator*
Posts: 1447
First: 7/4/2011 Last: 22/5/2013 |
A meta-analysis published in the BMJ recently has found that " smoking cessation is associated with a mean increase of 4-5 kg in body weight after 12 months of abstinence, and most weight gain occurs within three months of quitting. Variation in weight change is large, with about 16% of quitters losing weight and 13% gaining more than 10 kg." http://www.bmj.com/content/345/bmj.e4439 Seems a bit unfair that as you breakaway from one problem, that you are faced with a new problem of weight gain. It's often said that smoking can keep you skinny, but I wonder if ex-smokers have a craving for any particular foods or just an increased appetite. Perhaps it has something to do with the type of smoking cesssation treatments? |
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Re: Smoking cessation = weight gain
posted at 9/8/2012 12:53 PM BST
on bmj.com
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Posts: 1266
First: 13/4/2010 Last: 21/5/2013 |
Sometimes I despair at the BMJ. This has been known about for generations - stop smoking and you put on weight. Why? Well nicotine does suppress the appetite - something which has been known by scientists for decades and probably relates to its effects on nicotine receptors in neural pathways. Here's a good review from the US NIH which explains it better than I can: http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2367209/ So if you stop taking nicotine your appetite increases. In addition, as many smokers have, to some extent, addictive personalities (if such things exist), so they are more likely to turn to other substances of addiction which are associated with high calorific value like sugar and alcohol. So, for example, smokers are 3x more likely to abuse alcohol than non-smokers. |
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Re: Smoking cessation = weight gain
posted at 9/8/2012 1:37 PM BST
on bmj.com
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Posts: 1447
First: 7/4/2011 Last: 22/5/2013 |
Thanks for the link Steve - that's really interesting. Indeed, it makes sense that one addictive behaviour is substituted by another - like when former drug addicts become fitness fanatics. |
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Re: Smoking cessation = weight gain
posted at 9/8/2012 4:42 PM BST
on bmj.com
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Posts: 1285
First: 9/12/2011 Last: 22/5/2013 |
Good post Matthew, I think smoking is worse than a little weight gain in any event! I might also add that staying a smoker for fear of gaining weight is akin to swallowing arsenic to avoid Botulism poisoning! DuaneF |
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Re: Smoking cessation = weight gain
posted at 9/8/2012 9:17 PM BST
on bmj.com
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Posts: 2049
First: 12/3/2010 Last: 22/5/2013 |
It's good to have the advice you give to patients confirmed by formal metaanalysis. I've alwasy told my patients that half a stone if the mena weight gian if they stop smoking, but that is insignificant as a health risk, even by itslef, without the countervailing cessation of smoking. I also think that it is 'putting something in your mouth' that smokers miss, so they graze and pick and multiply their calorie intake. Somethbing healthier that a sweetie, grapes, for their tangy bite on a single fruit, or apple slices 'drizzled' with lemon juice to stop them going brown are good! John |
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Re: Smoking cessation = weight gain
posted at 9/8/2012 10:00 PM BST
on bmj.com
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Posts: 2947
First: 10/3/2009 Last: 29/4/2013 |
With smoking cessation, I tell patients we do one thing at a time. Ok, so you gain some weight after but we then deal with this and we do. I tell them that emphysema and lung cancer are other ways to lose weight. To quote from the end of this very impressive paper; Our knowledge of the role of central cholinergic circuits in appetite is embryonic, despite impressive efforts in the neuroanatomy and immunocytochemistry of cholinergic neurons and their diffuse terminal fields. In sum, it appears that the physiologists—from systems to synaptic-analysts—have not (ahem) towed their weight in addressing these fundamental issues in the neural regulation of feeding behavior. There's lots of work to do. have had a lot of success with patients losing weight this year. More than ever before We are still working in a black box as far as the clinical aspects of weight loss are concerned and I am dismayed that few if any dietitians can stray away from their usual mantra of "eat three pieces of fruit a day, whole grain bread et cetera " and on their prayer wheel turns with the usual predictable results in the long term. I regard morbid obesity in general with the same prognosis as cancer. We are winning however with the "war on smoking" at least where I live. I do find that a set of lung function tests can act as a serious wake-up call for many smokers. I realise these comments are tangential to the topic. Do not underestimate the counsel of a doctor in these matters. |
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Re: Smoking cessation = weight gain
posted at 17/8/2012 12:56 PM BST
on bmj.com
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Posts: 6
First: 4/8/2012 Last: 4/9/2012 |
Smoking burns up to 200 calories a day in a heavy smoker.Because smoking burns calories, metabolism is boosted (increased) slightly.When you quit smoking, a gain of between 5 and 10 pounds during the first few months of cessation is normal. If your eating habits have remained the same as they were when you smoked, you can easily shed this small gain with a brisk, 30 minute walk daily. |
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Re: Smoking cessation = weight gain
posted at 17/8/2012 3:56 PM BST
on bmj.com
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Posts: 2049
First: 12/3/2010 Last: 22/5/2013 |
"Smoking burns up to 200 calories a day in a heavy smoker." What? All that effort of lifting hand to lips and striking a match? Let alone grinding the stub out in the ashtray. Or is there some metabolic effect, Jack? Anyway, that's only two and half digestive biscuits or the same number of jammy dodgers, ten jelly babies or eight Murray Mints. John |
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