As more people quit smoking cigarettes for protection of their health, many of them faced by many of the new battle: weight gain. A new study in the journal BMJ suggests that quit smoking gain more weight than anyone before.
The study found that those who quit smoking gained an average of 10 to 11 pounds in 12 months, with most of the weight in the first three months.
However, this should not stop people kicking the habit is good, say the researchers.
Scientists from France and the UK conducted a meta-analysis, which examined 62 European-based studies of weight among those who successfully quit smoking. They said that the average weight gain was higher than doctors usually considered, although there were significant differences among the study participants.
Until now, the U.S. National Institutes of Health say they do not all gain weight after quitting, and those who usually receive less than 10 pounds.
“Most of the weight after the cessation occurs rapidly during the first quarter,” said Henri-Jean Aubin, addiction specialist who was lead author of the study. “Weight gain slows down after that. There is great interest in individual variability after the cessation of weight. “
About 16 percent of people who have actually lost weight after quitting, and 13 percent gained more than 22 pounds. Due to the large selection, the researchers say the average weight is not necessarily meaningful to people kicking the cigarette habit.
Researchers say the findings should encourage physicians recognize the risk of added pounds. Physicians should encourage their patients to lead a healthy diet and exercise regularly, they said.
“On the other hand, the weight concerned smokers should consider the possibility they may not gain weight while quitting smoking,” said Aubin.
This type of meta-analysis has its limitations because the researchers did not measure the weight of the participants directly, but rather, studied a collection of research, said Robert Amler, dean of the Faculty of Health Sciences at New York Medical College.
“Each of the collected studies weigh the various groups of the population [s] of different ages, different weight base, of different nationalities in different conditions, this means that each study yielded results that may mean something different than the results of others,” said Amler.
No matter, “as a dietitian, this study does not change how I see the importance of quitting,” said Connie Diekman, director of university nutrition at Washington University in St. Louis.
Nicotine increases your metabolism, so when he resigned, the metabolism slows, which leads to weight gain.
“There is also the” I need something in my hands, [or] mouth “feeling that the fight against smokers when they stop,” said Diekman.
But quitting smoking is a priority. Experts said that they urge people to get rid of this habit, and then worry about what you will gain weight. If people have to change their eating habits drastically to get healthy, Diekman advised to do so before quitting, rather than to do and at the same time.
“Change is hard,” she said.