Is Weight Gain Following Smoking Cessation Dangerous?

Many patients contemplating smoking cessation worry about weight gain following quitting, with the associated increase in risk for cardiovascular disease that could neutralize the health benefits of quitting. In this Australian prospective cohort study, researchers explored the issue of weight gain and associated mortality in about 17,000 adults (mean age, 44) who were followed for 8 years, during which 47% never smoked, 22% continued to smoke, and 31% quit smoking.

In adjusted analyses, participants who quit smoking gained a mean 3.1 kg (mean body-mass index increase, 0.82 kg/m²) compared with those who continued to smoke during a mean follow-up of 6 years. Compared with those who continued to smoke, those who quit and gained weight had a h…