• Keith P Gennuso, Keith M Thraen-Borowski, Tanya R Schlam, Tara L LaRowe, Michael C Fiore, Timothy B Baker, and Lisa H Colbert.
• Department of Population Health Sciences, University of Wisconsin-Madison, 507A Warf Office Building, 610 Walnut St, Madison, WI 53726, USA. Electronic address: gennuso@wisc.edu.
• Prev Med. 2014 Oct 1; 67: 189192189-92.

ObjectiveTo examine whether smokers' physical activity is related to weight change following a quit attempt.MethodData were analyzed for participants (n=683) of a randomized controlled trial comparing the efficacy of different smoking cessation pharmacotherapies (Wisconsin, 2005-2008). Activity (assessed via pedometry) and body weight were measured in the days surrounding the quit day and again one year later, at which time 7-day point-prevalence abstinence from smoking was assessed. We examined the effects of quitting, physical activity, and their interaction, on a one-year weight change with relevant covariate adjustment.ResultsParticipants were predominantly female (57%), 46 ± 11 years of age (mean ± SD), and took 7544 ± 3606 steps/day at baseline. Of those who quit, 87% gained weight. A main effect was found for quitting (p<0.001), but not physical activity (p=0.06). When pattern of activity was examined across the 1-year study period, quitters who decreased their physical activity had significantly greater weight gain than quitters who increased their physical activity (p<0.01) or maintained a high level of activity (p=0.02).ConclusionPhysical activity is associated with an attenuation of the weight gain that often occurs after quitting smoking.Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

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