Analysis of factors that determine weight gain during smoking cessation therapy

PLoS One. 2013 Aug 21;8(8):e72010. doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0072010. eCollection 2013.

Abstract

Cigarette smokers are generally known to gain weight after quitting smoking, and such weight gain is thought to contribute to the worsening of glucose tolerance. While smoking cessation therapy such as nicotine replacement is useful to minimize post-cessation weight gain, substantial gain occurs even during the therapy. The purpose of the present study was to identify factors associated with weight gain during smoking cessation therapy. We evaluated 186 patients(132 males and 54 females)who visited our outpatient clinic for smoking cessation, and successfully achieved smoking abstinence. We performed gender-adjusted regression analysis for the rate of BMI increase from the beginning of cessation to 3 months after initiation. Furthermore, we performed multivariate analysis to investigate factors that determine the BMI increase after smoking cessation. The mean BMI significantly (p<0.0001) increased from 23.5 ± 3.6 kg/m(2) at the initial consultation to 23.9 ± 3.8 kg/m(2) at 3 months after the start of therapy. There was no significant difference in the extent of BMI increase between nicotine patch and varenicline therapy groups. Factors significantly correlated with the %BMI increase at 3 months after the start of therapy were triglyceride (p = 0.0006, βa = 0.260), high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (p = 0.0386, βa = -0.168), daily cigarette consumption (p = 0.0385, βa = 0.154), and the Fagerström Test for Nicotine Dependence (FTND) score (p = 0.0060, βa = 0.203). Stepwise multivariate analysis demonstrated that triglyceride and the FTND score were the factors determining the post-cessation BMI increase and that the FTND score was the strongest one. The present study demonstrated that smokers with a high FTND score are more likely to gain weight during smoking cessation therapy. Thus, smokers with a high nicotine dependency may require intervention against weight gain in the cessation clinic.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Adult
  • Aged
  • Aged, 80 and over
  • Ambulatory Care Facilities / statistics & numerical data*
  • Body Mass Index*
  • Cholesterol, HDL / blood
  • Female
  • Humans
  • Male
  • Middle Aged
  • Multivariate Analysis
  • Regression Analysis
  • Risk Factors
  • Smoking / physiopathology
  • Smoking Cessation / methods*
  • Time Factors
  • Tobacco Use Disorder / blood
  • Tobacco Use Disorder / diagnosis
  • Tobacco Use Disorder / physiopathology
  • Triglycerides / blood
  • Weight Gain*
  • Young Adult

Substances

  • Cholesterol, HDL
  • Triglycerides

Grants and funding

This work was supported in part by a Grant-in-Aid for Clinical Research from the National Hospital Organization and the Pfizer Health Research Foundation (to KH). The funders had no role in the study design, data collection and analysis, decision to publish, or preparation of the manuscript.