Mindfulness Ameliorates the Relationship Between Weight Concerns and Smoking Behavior in Female Smokers: A Cross-sectional Investigation

Abstract

Weight concerns are common among female smokers and may interfere with smoking cessation. It is imperative to identify protective factors to lessen the likelihood that smoking-related weight concerns prompt smoking and hinder cessation efforts. Mindfulness is one potential protective factor that might prevent weight concerns from triggering smoking. In the current study, relationships among facets of trait mindfulness, smoking-related weight concerns, and smoking behavior were examined among 112 young adult female smokers (70.5% daily smokers; 83% Caucasian; mean age 20 [SD = 1.69]). After controlling for demographic variables, the Describing facet of trait mindfulness predicted lower smoking-related weight concerns. The mindfulness characteristics of Acting with Awareness, Nonreactivity, and Describing moderated the relationship between smoking-related weight concerns and smoking frequency, such that smoking-related weight concerns predicted greater smoking frequency in female smokers with low and medium levels of these mindfulness characteristics but did not in those with higher levels of mindfulness. These results suggest that mindfulness-based interventions may be effective for weight-concerned smokers.

Smokers Show Lower Levels of Psychological Well-Being and Mindfulness than Non-Smokers

“…These findings indicate that Mindfulness could weaken the relationship between automatic mental processes and substance use. Still in line with the above findings, previous studies observed that women who presented average and low levels of Mindfulness in the facets “Non-Reactivity” and “Describing” smoked more often, while the women with higher levels of Mindfulness presented a lower frequency of use [ 17 ].…”

Postcessation weight gain concern as a barrier to smoking cessation: Assessment considerations and future directions

“…The Smoking-Related Weight and Eating Episodes Test (SWEET; Adams, Baillie, & Copeland, 2011) assesses smoking-specific weight concerns with no postcessation weight gain concern items. Nonetheless, researchers studying smoking-specific weight concerns using the SWEET have incorrectly defined smoking-specific weight concerns as partly reflecting “concern about gaining weight upon smoking cessation” (p. 180; Adams et al, 2014). Other recent studies (Berkelmans, Burton, Page, & Worrall-Carter, 2011; Vargas Nunes et al, 2013) did not provide detail to ascertain if their assessments accurately measured postcessation weight gain concern.…”

“…Assessments were included in this table if the measure (a) was developed specifically to assess postcessation weight gain concern (i.e., assessed “concern,” “fear,” or “feeling afraid of” gaining weight specifically after cessation , assessed willingness to gain weight after cessation, and/or assessed return to smoking after weight gain), or (b) has been used in the past 5 years to assess postcessation weight gain concern. Measures that we believe assess postcessation weight gain concern are in boldface in the “Construct(s) assessed” column. a The SWEET was not developed as a measure of postcessation weight gain concern; Adams et al (2014) used the SWEET to assess smoking-specific weight concern, but they partly defined smoking-specific weight concern as “concern about gaining weight upon smoking cessation.” b These constructs were taken from the subscale names reported in Adams et al’s (2011) validation study. c Martin et al (2016) added two additional items to this single-item measure: “If I quit smoking I would eat more” and “If I quit smoking I would feel hungry more often.” d Coding occurred on a 0–5 scale; participants who answered “false” were coded ‘0’ and those who answered “true” were coded as the numerical response they rated the item (i.e., 1 to 5). e These 10 items are actually one item with decreasing 2-lb weight ranges imputed. f These three items from the BSCQ-A were subsumed under a scale labeled “Weight Control,” but the authors referred to weight concerns in the text, and other researchers have used the BSCQ-A as a measure of weight concerns (e.g., Strong et al, 2014). * Assessments used in studies reporting on postcessation weight gain concern published in the current literature search time frame of January 1, 2011 to December 31, 2016. † Assessments originally developed to assess postcessation weight gain concern. …”

Contextual Positive Psychology: Policy Recommendations for Implementing Positive Psychology into Schools

“…A recent review found 44 studies that demonstrated a decoupling of inner experience and outcomes ( Levin et al, 2015 ). For example, mindfulness-related processes can help people to experience physical pain and still persist at a task ( Gutierrez et al, 2004 ), experience approach oriented thoughts to alcohol and not engage in hazardous drinking ( Ostafin et al, 2012 ), experience urges to smoke and unhelpful thoughts, and not still smoke ( Elwafi et al, 2013 ; Adams et al, 2014 ), experience disordered eating cognitions (e.g., fear of weight gain) and not engage in problem eating behaviors ( Ferrieira et al, 2011 ), and experience negative emotion but not engage in avoidance behavior ( Wolgast et al, 2011 ). This evidence suggests that we can enhance valued action without having to change the content of people’s thoughts, or, metaphorically, to change what the advisor is saying.…”