By IANS
New York : The fear of putting on weight may be one reason why women who smoke refuse to kick the habit, says a new study.
The study by a researcher at the University of Michigan Health System contends that while there are many reasons why some don’t quit smoking, fear of weight-gain is high on the list.
Findings of the study by Cindy Pomerleau have been published in the latest issue of the journal Addictive Behaviours.
In an earlier study, Pomerleau had found 75 percent of women smokers were unwilling to gain more than 2.25 kg if they quit smoking. Nearly 50 percent were unwilling to gain any weight at all.
In fact, the earlier study had shown that many women began smoking because they believed it would help them stay thin.
Nearly 20 percent of women in the US are smokers.
Her new study reveals that women who smoke tend to be physically different from their ideal body image.
As cigarettes are known to suppress appetite, says Pomerleau, “it’s hardly surprising that women who have trouble managing their weight or are dissatisfied with their bodies are drawn to smoking”.
Pomerleau, who is working on a book on smoking and weight loss, says the problem is getting women who are worried about weight to try and quit, “and then helping them gain a sense of control over their weight”.
Noting that women who worried about weight were also concerned about other aspects of their appearance, she stresses the need to get across the message that smoking affects several aspects of appearance and attractiveness.
Wrinkled skin, thinner hair, cracked fingernails, yellowed teeth and bad breath are fallouts of smoking, she points out.
Some beliefs about smoking and weight are true. Nicotine does suppress appetite and increase resting metabolic rate. Smokers on average weigh less, and smokers who quit tend to gain weight.
Still, says Pomerleau, the effect of quitting on weight is often less dramatic than many women fear — with only 25 percent of women who quit gaining 6.5 kg or more.