Smoking status among a group of morbidly obese men and women referred for gastroplasty.
The smoking habits of all morbidly obese patients referred for possible gastroplasty (between January 1, 1983 and December 31, 1985) were assessed. There were 240 patients, 198 women 83 percent) and 42 men (17 percent). Mean age for women was 38 +/- 9 years and weight 121 +/- 17 kg. Men were 36 +/- 9 years old and weighed 154 +/- 24 kg. Forty percent of each group smoked cigarettes daily and 10 percent of women and 12 percent of men were ex-smokers. Twenty percent of the females and 47 percent of the males were heavy smokers (greater than 25 cigarettes per day). Female ex-smokers were much more apt to be on treatment for hypertension than non-smokers (55 vs 10 percent, P less than 0.001). These morbidly obese patients in Southern Ontario smoked more heavily and in higher proportion than reported for adults in Ontario or Canada. Low socioeconomic status may partially explain these results. Better methods of controlling smoking and eating are needed for the morbidly obese.
Grace
D M
DM
Department of Surgery, University of Western Ontario, London, Canada.
Pederson
L
L
Speechley
K N
KN
D000328:Adult; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D006973:Hypertension / Q000150:complications; D008297:Male; D009767:Obesity, Morbid / Q000150:complications / Q000523:psychology* / Q000628:therapy; D012907:Smoking / Q000523:psychology*; D012959:Socioeconomic Factors; D013270:Stomach / Q000601:surgery