WOMEN GAIN WEIGHT 1 YEAR AFTER SMOKING CESSATION WHILE DIETARY-INTAKETEMPORARILY INCREASES

Objective To examine the relationship of dietary change to weight chan ge in women who quit smoking and remained abstinent for 1 year. Method s For 1 year; 582 women participating in smoking cessation classes wer e studied. Weight, diet, and physical activity were measured at baseli ne and at 1, 6, and 12 months after smoking cessation. Multivariate re gression models were used to predict 1-year weight change for the 139 women who remained abstinent. Results Women gained, on average, 9.9 lb over a 1-year period while increasing their intake of energy for 1 an d 6 months but returning to baseline levels by 1 year. Sucrose, total carbohydrate, and fat intake increased significantly for the first mon th; fat and total carbohydrate intake remained at an increased level f or 6 months. In unadjusted analyses, older women and those who smoked more cigarettes gained more weight than younger women and lighter smok ers; lighter and heavier women gained more weight than women of interm ediate weight. In adjusted analyses, age remained a significant factor and number of cigarettes remained of borderline significance. Change in energy intake was predictive of weight change only in women with th e highest energy intake at baseline. Applications Dietitians should ac knowledge that most women who quit smoking gain weight in the short te rm. Although many women increase their energy intake, change in energy level is only one factor in weight change. Over the long term, women with high baseline intakes appear to be able to affect their weight ch ange by reducing their energy intake.