Is Physical Activity Associated with Improved Short-term Smoking Cessation?

[摘要] PURPOSE: The purpose of this study was to determine if a correlation exists between the number of cigarettes smoked and the amount of exercise leisure-time activity performed in heavy adult smokers who were motivated to quit smoking. METHODS: Twenty-seven adult smokers (smoking ≥ 15 cigarettes per day for a minimum of 5 years) participated in the study. The subjects enrolled were motivated (scored ≥ 120 on motivation/confidence 0—200 scale) to quit smoking. Participants received a brief behavioral stop-smoking intervention at baseline, and were instructed to quit smoking within the next 48 hours (over the weekend). Subjects were followed for a total of two weeks during which time smoking behavior and exercise habits were recorded. The Godin Leisure-Time Exercise Questionnaire was administered at baseline and again at the end of weeks I and II (once a week for three weeks) to capture leisure time exercise habits. Smoking behavior was recorded (number of cigarettes smoked) daily. RESULTS: It was hypothesized that individuals who smoke less cigarettes during a cessation attempt may tend to exercise more in their leisure time. It was also hypothesized that BMI and gender could play a role in the relationship between physical activity performed and number of cigarettes smoked. Baseline vigorous physical activity was not found to be statistically significant, but there was a trend towards decreased smoking rates at this intensity. No statistical significance was found for any other exercise intensity at baseline, week one or week two. BMI and gender did not play a role in the relationship between physical activity performed and the number cigarettes smoked. FUTURE DIRECTIONS: While an inverse relationship between amount of leisure time exercise performed and the number of cigarette smoked was not detected in the current study, future studies with a longer follow up period and larger sample sizes should be conducted. Should a negative correlation be found among these two variables, larger scale, statistically strong, causal studies should be conducted. Current smoking cessation programs may benefit from the inclusion of promoting healthy life style choices such as increasing the amount of leisure time activity performed.

[发布机构] the University of Pittsburgh

[效力级别] smoking-cessation