Eating orientation, postcessation weight gain, and continued abstinence among female smokers receiving an unsolicited smoking cessation intervention

Predictors of weight gain following smoking cessation were assessed among 1 ,219 female smokers enrolled in a health maintenance organization Women ran domized to the treatment group received a cessation intervention without re gard to their interest in quitting smoking. It was hypothesized that cessat ion would result in subsequent weight gain and postcessation weight gain wo uld be associated with scores on a modified Restraint Scale, the Disinhibit ion Scale, and a scale assessing tendency to eat during periods of negative affect. Persons who abstained from smoking over the 18-month study gained more weight than did intermittent smokers and continuous smokers, and among 762 women who reported at least 1 on-study attempt to quit smoking, 36% ga ined weight. Weight gain was associated with disinhibited eating and negati ve affect eating but not with restrained eating. Weight gain also was assoc iated with continued abstinence from smoking.