It’s still better to quit smoking—even if you gain weight, study says
The weight gain that many may experience once they quit smoking is no longer an excuse to keep smoking. According to a new study published in the March issue of the Journal of the American Medical Association, the cardiovascular benefits of quitting smoking far outweigh the potential negative impact of any weight a person may gain as a result of quitting smoking.
The researchers examined 3,251 participants in a long-term study, and found that “four-year weight gain associated with smoking cessation did not outweigh the benefits for CVD [cardiovascular disease] risk associated with smoking cessation.”
According to the study, “Smoking cessation was associated with a lower risk of CVD events among participants without diabetes, and weight gain that occurred following smoking cessation did not modify this association. This supports a net cardiovascular benefit of smoking cessation, despite subsequent weight gain.”
Nearly 44 million Americans are regular smokers and 70 percent have a desire to quit, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. That’s why many health systems across the country, including Oak Brook, Ill.- based Advocate Health Care, offer non-smoking incentive programs to help employees and community members kick their smoking habits. Click here to view locations for Advocate’s Courage to Quit Tobacco classes.
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health enews staff is a group of experienced writers from our Advocate Health Care and Aurora Health Care sites, which also includes freelance or intern writers.
I really hope this research gives people ANOTHER (very good) reason that they need to quit smoking to save their life!
Agree with Sarah. The more experts are able to address and debunk excuses (to keep smoking) through research, the better off our collective health will be.