14 DAY TRIAL // Quitting smoking works wonders for the cardiovascular system, the lungs, even one's sense of taste and smell. All the same, there is one drawback smokers looking to ditch the habit cannot help but worry about: weight gain.
Some folks only add a love handle or two to their silhouette when they finally muster the determination to quit smoking. Others, however, find themselves gaining an unhealthy amount of weight.
The weight gain that comes with kicking this vice varies from person to person, and although smoking is a well-researched issue, scientists can't quite explain why some get plumper than others when saying goodbye to cigarettes.
Researchers at the Penn State College of Medicine in the US discuss this medical mystery in a recent study in the International Journal of Obesity and propose that how much a person smokes dictates how much weight they stand to gain when they quit.
Thus, the specialists say that, according to their investigations into the matter at hand, it's those who smoke the most who gain more weight when quitting.
Besides, they argue that people who are already overweight will likely get even rounder around the middle when ditching smoking.
How quitting smoking affects weight
As part of their investigation, the Penn State College of Medicine researchers compiled and analyzed data concerning the body mass index and the smoking behavior of over 12,000 individuals. The study included both smokers and nonsmokers.
In their report, the scientists say that, when kicking the habit, the heavy smokers included in the study - i.e. people who smoked 25 or more cigarettes per day - gained an average 23 pounds (around 10.5 kilograms).
Those who were already overweight, on the other hand, put on an average 16 pounds (a little over 7 kilograms). By comparison, no significant weight gain was documented in the case of the volunteers who did not smoke all that much and who were in shape.
In light of their findings, the researchers recommend that folks who are at risk of gaining an unhealthy amount of weight when quitting smoking talk to their doctors to get help controlling this side effect.
“Being able to easily identify smokers who may gain more weight when they quit is important so that we can work with patients to tailor their treatment plan,” said specialist Susan Veldheer.
“Although this may seem like a lot of weight, it is important for all smokers to remember that quitting smoking is the single most important thing they can do for their health,” the researcher added.