Bucharest, 18th October 2012: People who decide to give up smoking seem to be facing a whole other issue: weight gain of 5 to 10 kilos, according to a new study published in the British Medical Journal and communicated to the Romanian market by MediHelp International.
Researchers have found that quitting smoking adds more kilos than people might initially think. When they quit, many smokers have the tendency to eat more. As the results of the study have shown, between 35 to 38% of people gained less than 5 kg within a year of quitting, while 29 to 34% gained 5 to 10 kg. The researchers found that it makes no difference whether you choose to follow a smoking cessation treatment, such as nicotine patches or gum, or not. People are still prone to weight gain in the first three months after quitting smoking.
Dr. Prerna Sharma, Clinical Lead for Bupa Health and Wellbeing UK, commented: „A common symptom of quitting smoking is an increased appetite, which can lead to overeating and regular snacking. Also, research has suggested that nicotine, which is found in cigarettes, increases your metabolism; therefore, when you stop, your metabolic rate can drop”.
„The study proves that even though kicking the habit of smoking has its health benefits which we cannot overlook, ex-smokers need to understand the side effects as well. It is often said that the fear of putting on weight might deter people from quitting cigarettes. We at MediHelp are committed to our purpose of constantly raising health awareness and tirelessly provide more and better healthcare solutions”, comments Zahal Levy, President of MediHelp International.
Researchers have also revealed the fact that this study was strictly made on heavy smokers and that further studies are needed, in order to fully explore the side-effects of quitting smoking. Therefore, research will focus on what happens to people’s weight if they start smoking again or after the first year of quitting.
Furthermore, the study suggests that if you’re trying to stop smoking, or at least planning to, doing regular exercise can help prevent the risk of gaining weight. It is a known fact that exercises and a healthy diet can help reduce the need to smoke.
