New research to be presented at this year’s European Congress on Obesity (ECO) in Venice, Italy (May 12-15) shows that smokers eat less than non-smokers and have healthier eating habits. This suggests that smokers tend to be less likely to smoke, which may help explain why smokers smoke more frequently. If you stop, you will gain weight.
The study, which involved more than 80,000 adults in the UK, highlights the importance of providing nutrition and weight management support to smokers, especially those trying to quit.
Smokers typically have lower weight and body mass index (BMI) than nonsmokers, but quitting smoking can lead to weight gain. There is also evidence that smokers may use smoking to control their appetite and weight.
Preclinical studies suggest that the nicotine in cigarette smoke may suppress appetite and influence subsequent eating behavior. However, the relationship between smoking and eating behavior in humans is unclear.
To find out more, researchers from Loughborough University and the University of Leicester investigated the association between smoking and diet and eating behavior in a large population-based cohort of UK adults.
The cross-sectional study analyzed data from 83,000 adults (aged 18 and over) collected by a UK-based medical charity, Nuffield Health, during a health assessment program between 2004 and 2022.
Participants were based on their status as smokers (6,454 adults, mean age 40 years, BMI 26.0 kg², 37% women) or non-smokers (77,327 adults, mean age 44 years, BMI 25.7 kg², 38% women). were divided into two groups. .
All participants completed a questionnaire asking about their age, gender, socio-economic status, smoking status, as well as their usual diet and eating habits. BMI was also measured during the medical examination.
After adjusting for age, gender, and socio-economic status, smokers were twice as likely to skip a meal and 50% more likely to not eat for more than three hours than non-smokers. They were also more likely to eat less food per day and find it difficult to leave anything on their plate (see figure in full summary).
Smokers were 35% less likely to snack than non-smokers, and were also less likely to eat food out of reward or boredom.
Furthermore, compared to non-smokers, smokers are 8% to 13% less likely to eat sweets between meals or for dessert, but are 8% less likely to eat fried foods, 70% more likely to add salt, and 70% less likely to add salt. 36% more likely. Add sugar, add to food.
Some of these relationships varied by age, gender, and socioeconomic status. The most consistent observation was that these relationships were stronger in older people compared to younger people. Additionally, the association between smoking and being more likely to add salt or sugar to your diet is stronger for men than for women, suggesting that male smokers may be particularly susceptible to unhealthy eating habits. suggests.
A common reason smokers don’t try or fail to quit is because they worry about weight gain. Our findings show that smoking is associated with a pattern of eating behavior consistent with reduced food intake and poor diet quality, characterized by frequent intake of fried foods and the addition of salt and sugar to meals. It shows that it is related to. This may help explain the weight gain commonly observed when quitting smoking. ”
Dr Scott Willis, Principal Researcher, Loughborough University, UK
Lead author Arwa Alwairi from Loughborough University said: “These findings highlight the importance of providing nutrition and weight management support in large-scale efforts to prevent and reduce smoking in the general UK population. “This may help facilitate more successful quit attempts.” The goal is to improve the many diseases associated with both people’s dietary habits and these major health risks. ”
The authors note that the results are observational, and a clear cause-and-effect relationship between smoking and dietary changes cannot be determined in this type of population-based study. This analysis does not take into account the influence of other known risk factors, such as psychological health or physical activity levels, which may influence the results. And the study was based on self-reported eating habits, which can lead to recall bias, which could also influence the results.
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European Obesity Research Association
