Smoking cessation, weight gain, and changes in cardiovascular risk factors during menopause: the Healthy Women Study.
OBJECTIVE
The relationship between smoking cessation, subsequent weight gain, and cardiovascular disease risk factors from premenopause to postmenopause was studied.


METHODS
Healthy Women Study participants were assessed for changes in coronary heart disease risk factors from a premenopausal baseline assessment to first- and second-year postmenopausal assessments.


RESULTS
Although ex-smokers gained substantially more weight than nonsmokers and smokers, they did not experience a greater increase in cardiovascular risk factors. In fact, the results indicated a trend toward ex-smokers' high-density lipoprotein cholesterol levels increasing slightly more than those of nonsmokers and smokers.


CONCLUSIONS
Smoking cessation in perimenopausal to postmenopausal women is associated with greater weight gain but appears to be modestly associated with certain positive changes in cardiovascular risk factors.
Burnette
M M
MM
Department of Epidemiology, Graduate School of Public Health, University of Pittsburgh, Pa, USA.
Meilahn
E
E
Wing
R R
RR
Kuller
L H
LH
D000428:Alcohol Drinking / Q000453:epidemiology; D001786:Blood Glucose / Q000032:analysis; D001794:Blood Pressure; D002318:Cardiovascular Diseases / Q000453:epidemiology*; D002784:Cholesterol / Q000097:blood; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007328:Insulin / Q000097:blood; D008137:Longitudinal Studies; D008593:Menopause / Q000097:blood / Q000502:physiology*; D008875:Middle Aged; D017697:Premenopause / Q000097:blood / Q000502:physiology; D012307:Risk Factors; D016540:Smoking Cessation; D014280:Triglycerides / Q000097:blood; D015430:Weight Gain
D001786:Blood Glucose; D007328:Insulin; D014280:Triglycerides; D002784:Cholesterol