How much weight gain occurs following smoking cessation: A comparison of weight gain using both continuous and point prevalence abstinence.

Abstract

Estimates of postcessation weight gain vary widely. This study determined the magnitude of weight gain in a cohort using both point prevalence and continuous abstinence criteria for cessation. Participants were 196 volunteers who participated in a smoking cessation program and who either continuously smoked (n = 118), were continuously abstinent (n = 51), or who were point prevalent abstinent (n = 27) (i.e., quit at the 1-year follow-up visit but not at others). Continuously abstinent participants gained over 13 lbs. (5.90 kg) at 1 year, significantly more than continuously smoking (M = 2.4 lb.) and point prevalent abstinent participants (M = 6.7 lbs., or 3.04 kg). Individual growth curve analysis confirmed that weight gain and the rate of weight gain (pounds per month) were greater among continuously smoking participants and that these effects were independent of gender, baseline weight, smoking and dieting history, age, and education. Results suggest that studies using point prevalence abstinence to estimate postcessation weight gain may be underestimating postcessation weight gain.

The Etiology and Treatment of Nicotine Dependence: A Biopsychosocial Perspective

“…In addition, women frequently express concern about gaining weight after they quit smoking (Klesges & Klesges, 1988). This concern is not surprising given that individuals who are abstinent for 1 year will gain an average of 13 pounds (Klesges et al, 1997).…”

“…However, similar to withdrawal severity, the duration of withdrawal patterns are also variable. For example, increases in hunger and weight gain are the most persistent symptoms, lasting as long as 6 months to 1 year (Hughes, 1992;Klesges et al, 1997). In addition, individuals who quit using nicotinecontaining products do not always report increased anxiety; however, in cases where , anxiety is reported, it could be a function of brief lapses in their abstinence (e.g., periodically smoking one cigarette and then resuming abstinence west & Hajek, 1997).…”

Primary Care Providers Advising Smokers to Quit: Comparing Effectiveness Between Those With and Without Alcohol, Drug, or Mental Disorders

“…First, it is generally targeted to overweight or obese individuals; exercise counseling is a more applicable to a broader range of individuals since few meet the recommendations for exercise levels (U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, 2008). Second, smoking cessation has been associated with weight gain (Eisenberg & Quinn, 2006;Klesges, Meyers, Klesges, & La Vasque, 1989;Klesges et al, 1997;Williamson et al, 1991), which raises issues of additional hidden bias between weight counseling and smoking cessation status. As a result, we only considered exercise counseling as the potential instrumental variable for smoking cessation advice in this study.…”

Weight Change Over Eight Years in Relation to Alcohol Consumption in a Cohort of Continuing Smokers and Quitters

“…The strength of this study lies in the long-term follow-up and the determination of continuous smoking abstinence, which was biochemically verified at each timepoint (self-report and point prevalence abstinence may overestimate quit rates and thus underestimate weight gain [Klesges et al, 1989[Klesges et al, , 1997). …”