Characterizing concerns about post-cessation weight gain: results from a national survey of women smokers

Abstract

Differences among adult women smokers with differing levels of concern about post-cessation weight gain were investigated in a national random-digit-dialing survey. To avoid defining weight concerns in terms of possible etiologies or contributory factors, respondents were stratified using a single item querying concern about post-cessation weight gain; 39% described themselves as very concerned (VC), 28% as somewhat concerned (SC), and 33% as not concerned (NC). Significant between-groups differences were detected for measures of weight and body image, eating patterns and weight control practices, and nicotine dependence, but not for depression. Differences, primarily between VC and NC, were also detected for several weight-related smoking variables, including importance of weight as a factor in initiation, smoking as a weight control strategy, increased appetite and weight gain as withdrawal symptoms, willingness to gain weight upon quitting, self-efficacy about relapse in the face of weight gain, and readiness to quit smoking. Most differences persisted even after adjusting for body mass index and nicotine dependence. Although the importance of thinness was rated higher by weight-concerned women, the difference did not reach significance. Rather, what differentiated groups was the importance of overall body image, suggesting a larger pattern of preoccupation with body image that may not be captured by queries about weight concerns alone. We conclude that weight-concerned women smokers will be especially unlikely to seek treatment or attempt self-quitting; and that redirecting attention to other aspects of body image is likely to be more helpful than attempting to divert attention away from body image.

Smoking status, cigarettes per day, and their relationship to overweight and obesity among former and current smokers in a national adult general population sample

“…5 The increase in body weight by age has been found to be lower among smokers than among nonsmokers, 6 and body weight seems to be highest in former, lowest in current and medium in never smokers. 1,7,8 Weight gain attributed to smoking cessation was positively related to the number of cigarettes smoked per day (cpd) in a study with men at high risk of death from coronary heart disease.…”

Effect of Smoking on Body Weight: Longitudinal Analysis of the SUN Cohort

“…6 However, weight gain after quitting is often given as a reason for not stopping smoking, especially among women. [6][7][8] This is increasingly well-known by the population at large and has been dealt with in clinical practice after carrying out cardiovascular prevention. Most studies have observed that there is indeed an increase in weight after stopping smoking, although the weight gain varied between them.…”

Smoking Cessation Interventions for Patients with Depression: A Systematic Review and Meta-analysis

“…[3][4][5] Smokers with depression are more likely to relapse from a quit attempt, have higher nicotine dependence, suffer negative mood symptoms from withdrawal, and suffer greater smoking-related morbidity and mortality than the general population of smokers. [6][7][8][9][10][11][12] For the general population, effective smoking cessation interventions include nicotine replacement therapy (NRT), 13 antidepressants bupropion and nortriptyline, 14 nicotine receptor partial agonists varenicline, 15 and smoking cessation counseling. [16][17][18] Pharmacological and behavioral strategies increase the likelihood of successful quits attempt by 1.5 to 2 times compared to placebo or usual care.…”