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Weight concerns affect women's attempts to quit smoking

Smokers who think that tobacco helps control their weight are less likely to be affected by anti-smoking policies, compared with those who do not believe it controls weight, according to recently published data. 

“We found that concerns about weight are a significant barrier to quitting among U.K. smokers and U.S. female smokers who believe smoking helps them manage weight,” Ce Shang, PhD, of the University of Illinois at Chicago, said in a press release.

Ce Shang

Researchers evaluated data from the International Tobacco Control Policy Evaluation Project in the U.S., Canada, the U.K. and Australia to assess the correlation between smokers who believe that tobacco helps control weight and responsiveness to tobacco control policies and quit attempts.

Across all analyzed countries, 37%-42% of men smokers and 39%-42% of women smokers attempted to quit.

Among participants, women were more likely to believe that smoking helped to control their weight, compared with men: U.S. and Canada, 25% men vs. 38%-39% women; U.K., 28% men vs. 39% women; and Australia, 25% men vs. 32% women.

In the U.S., women who believed smoking aided in weight management were less likely to be affected by price increases on tobacco (P ≤ .1) and less likely to be affected by anti-smoking messages (P ≤ .01). Among females who did not believe smoking controlled weight, a 10% increase in cigarette pricing was associated with a 6% increase in quit attempts, and a 10% increase in exposure to anti-smoking campaigns was linked to a 12% increase in quit attempts. No such finding were seen among women who believed smoking helped weight control. 

The correlation between the belief of weight control with smoking and quit attempts was not seen in either Australia or Canada.

Shang and colleagues noted the importance of addressing these concerns — and other overlooked smoking-related factors — to make anti-smoking campaigns more effective.

“Policy makers should take weight concerns into account to enhance the effectiveness of existing policies that promote quitting smoking,” Shang said in a press release. – by Casey Hower

Disclosure: The researchers report no relevant financial disclosures.