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OBJECTIVES. Weight gain is a consistent sequela of smoking cessation. A successful intervention might attract smokers who fear weight gain. If the gain causes smoking relapse, such an intervention might reduce smoking relapse risk. METHODS. Using a sample of 158 smokers who completed a 2-week smoking treatment program, we compared an innovative weight gain prevention intervention with both a nonspecific treatment and standard treatment. Subjects were assessed on weight and smoking behavior and followed for 1 year. RESULTS. A disturbing, unexpected finding was that subjects in both the innovative and nonspecific conditions had a higher risk of smoking relapse than did standard treatment subjects. Some differences were observed between abstinent and smoking subjects in weight gain by treatment condition. CONCLUSIONS. Both active interventions may have been so complicated that they detracted from nonsmoking. Also, caloric restriction may increase the reinforcing value of nicotine, a psychoactive drug, thereby increasing smoking relapse risk. The magnitude of weight gain after smoking cessation may not merit interventions that increase smoking risk. Perhaps attitudinal modifications are the most appropriate.

No abstract

Quitting smoking often results in weight gain. The causes of the gain are not known. The present study evaluated changes in calories, total sugars, sucrose, fat, protein, and nonsugar carbohydrates as well as changes in activity levels after quitting smoking. Ninety-five subjects were randomly assigned to either early (Week 2) or late (Week 6) quit dates. Subjects were assessed on weight, food intake, activity levels, and smoking levels at baseline, at Weeks 4 and 8, and at Weeks 12 and 26 postquit. The results indicated significant increases in calories, sucrose, and fats 2 weeks after the quit date. Changes for total sugars were less consistent. Activity levels did not change significantly. Early caloric increases predicted weight gain at 26 weeks for abstinent women. No relation was found for abstinent men, but interpretation of this finding is weakened by a small subsample size. Abstinent subjects gained over 9 lb by 26 weeks postquit. Despite this gain, Week 26 results showed that caloric intake for abstinent women was approximately equal to that observed at baseline, whereas that for abstinent men had dropped significantly.

Evaluation of the Caring Assessment Tool (CAT) is essential for its use in the monitoring and ongoing improvement of patient-nurse relationships. This descriptive, prospective study evaluated the dimensionality and internal reliability of the instrument in a sample of hospitalized adults. In addition, reduction of items was achieved, lessening clinical and administrative burden. Data were collected from 1,111 patients in 12 U.S. hospitals in 4 geographically distinct regions. A single factor explained 73% of the variance in the construct and the number of items was reduced to 27. Internal consistency remained high (a = .97). Patient-nurse relationship data were collected safely and efficiently from hospitalized patients using a paper-and-pencil approach. The CAT holds promise for providing acute care registered nurses with the information they need to deliver reliable patient-centered care.