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Cited by 510Smoking Behavior and CessationSubstance Abuse Treatment and OutcomesObesity, Physical Activity, Diet

Weight gain in smokers after quitting cigarettes: meta-analysis

Open access
Aubin, H.-J., Farley, A., Lycett, D., Lahmek, P., Aveyard, P.·2012·BMJ
DOI 10.1136/bmj.e4439PMC PMC3393785
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Abstract

OBJECTIVE: To describe weight gain and its variation in smokers who achieve prolonged abstinence for up to 12 months and who quit without treatment or use drugs to assist cessation. DESIGN: Meta-analysis. DATA SOURCES: We searched the Central Register of Controlled Trials (CENTRAL) and trials listed in Cochrane reviews of smoking cessation interventions (nicotine replacement therapy, nicotinic partial agonists, antidepressants, and exercise) for randomised trials of first line treatments (nicotine replacement therapy, bupropion, and varenicline) and exercise that reported weight change. We also searched CENTRAL for trials of interventions for weight gain after cessation. REVIEW METHODS: Trials were included if they recorded weight change from baseline to follow-up in abstinent smokers. We used a random effects inverse variance model to calculate the mean and 95% confidence intervals and the mean of the standard deviation for weight change from baseline to one, two, three, six, and 12 months after quitting. We explored subgroup differences using random effects meta-regression. RESULTS: 62 studies were included. In untreated quitters, mean weight gain was 1.12 kg (95% confidence interval 0.76 to 1.47), 2.26 kg (1.98 to 2.54), 2.85 kg (2.42 to 3.28), 4.23 kg (3.69 to 4.77), and 4.67 kg (3.96 to 5.38) at one, two, three, six, and 12 months after quitting, respectively. Using the means and weighted standard deviations, we calculated that at 12 months after cessation, 16%, 37%, 34%, and 13% of untreated quitters lost weight, and gained less than 5 kg, gained 5-10 kg, and gained more than 10 kg, respectively. Estimates of weight gain were similar for people using different pharmacotherapies to support cessation. Estimates were also similar between people especially concerned about weight gain and those not concerned. CONCLUSION: Smoking cessation is associated with a mean increase of 4-5 kg in body weight after 12 months of abstinence, and most weight gain occurs within three months of quitting. Variation in weight change is large, with about 16% of quitters losing weight and 13% gaining more than 10 kg.

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  • The use of effective drugs to treat nicotine-dependence combined with counseling for psychological dependence increase the success rate of smoking cessation.

    “The use of effective drugs to treat nicotine-dependence (e.g., nicotine patches, nicotine gum, and varenicline)356, 357) combined with counseling for psychological dependence increase the success rate of smoking cessation.”

    From Japan Atherosclerosis Society (JAS) guidelines for prevention of atherosclerotic cardiovascular diseases 2017 (2018) · cites this paper as [357]

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Research works printed but not linked: 5

  1. Lycett D, Munafo M, Johnstone E, Murphy M, Aveyard P. Associations between weight change over 8 years and baseline body mass index in a cohort of continuing and quitting smokers. Addiction 2010;106:188-96.
  2. Tsai ST, Cho HJ, Cheng HS, Kim H, Hsueh KC, Billing CB, et al. Varenicline, a selective alpha4beta2 nicotinic acetylcholine receptor partial agonist, as a new therapy for smoking cessation: Asian experience. Clin Ther 2007;29:1027-39.
  3. Gonzales D, Rennard SI, Nides M, Oncken C, Azoulay S, Billing CB, et al. Varenicline, a gamma4beta2 nicotinic acetylcholine receptor partial agonist, vs sustained-release bupropion and placebo for smoking cessation. JAMA 2006;296:47-55.
  4. Jorenby DE, Hays JT, Rigotti NA, Azoulay S, Watsky EJ, Williams KE, et al. Efficacy of varenicline, an alpha4beta2 nicotinic acetylcholine receptor partial agonist, vs placebo or sustained-release bupropion for smoking cessation. JAMA 2006;296:56-63.
  5. Nides M, Oncken C, Gonzales D, Rennard S, Watsky EJ, Anziano R, et al. Smoking cessation with varenicline, a selective alpha4beta2 nicotinic receptor partial agonist. Arch Intern Med 2006;166:1561-8.

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Authors
Aubin, H.-J., Farley, A., Lycett, D., Lahmek, P., & Aveyard, P.
Affiliations
  • Inserm (FR)
  • University of Birmingham (GB)
  • Hôpital Émile-Roux (FR)
Corresponding author
Aubin, H.-J.
ORCID
Venue
BMJ
Publisher
BMJ
Published
2012-07-10
Volume
345
Issue
jul10 2
Pages
e4439-e4439
ISSN
1756-1833 (ISSN-L)
DOI
10.1136/bmj.e4439
PMC
PMC3393785
OpenAlex
W2002778671
Cited by
510
References
132
Citations by year
2026: 27 · 2025: 24 · 2024: 39 · 2023: 38 · 2022: 37 · 2021: 41 · 2020: 42 · 2019: 33 · 2018: 43 · 2017: 35 · 2016: 45 · 2015: 37 · 2014: 29 · 2013: 27 · 2012: 12
FWCI
22.51
Type
journal article
Language
en
Open access
Licence
cc-by-nc
Locations
  • BMJ (publishedVersion, cc-by-nc)
  • Europe PMC (PubMed Central) (publishedVersion, cc-by-nc)
  • PubMed Central (publishedVersion, cc-by-nc)
  • PubMed (publishedVersion)
  • Pure (Coventry University) (submittedVersion, cc-by-nc)
  • Coventry University Open Collections (Coventry university) (submittedVersion)
  • University of Birmingham Research Portal (University of Birmingham) (submittedVersion)
  • The Open Collections (Coventry University) (submittedVersion)
Funders
  • Pfizer
  • GlaxoSmithKline
  • Sanofi
  • United Kingdom Clinical Research Collaboration
  • Cancer Research UK
  • National Institute for Health and Care Research (SPCR-018)
  • British Heart Foundation
  • Medical Research Council
  • Economic and Social Research Council (ES/G007489/1)
Topics
  • Health Sciences › Medicine › Physiology › Smoking Behavior and Cessation
  • Health Sciences › Medicine › Epidemiology › Substance Abuse Treatment and Outcomes
  • Health Sciences › Medicine › Public Health, Environmental and Occupational Health › Obesity, Physical Activity, Diet
Keywords
weight gain, smoking cessation, nicotine replacement therapy, bupropion, varenicline, weight loss, weight change, abstinence, smoking cessation pharmacotherapy, physical activity
MeSH terms
Adult, Humans, Smoking, Time Factors, Weight Gain, Weight Loss, Randomized Controlled Trials as Topic, Smoking Cessation

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