A meta-analytic review of the effect of exercise on smoking cessation.
OBJECTIVE
To assess the effect of group exercise programs on smoking cessation.


METHODS
A MEDLINE search, a manual review of journal articles, and a search of previous reviews were used.


METHODS
Published studies which 1) employed an exercise program for an intervention group and, 2) reported numbers of smokers of both exercise and control groups at baseline and at 6 to 24 months later were selected.


METHODS
Five randomized trials were selected. In three of these, smoking cessation was the main aim and exercise was employed for relapse prevention concurrently with or after a group smoking cessation program. The studies produced a moderate qualitative score of 7 to 9 out of a 13 total score of modified DerSimonian's quality checklist.


RESULTS
The summary odds ratio of the three studies which primarily aimed at smoking cessation was 2.35 (95% C.I. 0.75-7.31). When the two other studies were added, it dropped to 1.85 (95% C.I. 0.65-5.24).


CONCLUSIONS
Due to the small number of studies and the small sample size for each study, the effect remains unclear. Further analysis, both qualitative and quantitative, is necessary to clarify these issues.
Takarazuka City Health Promotion Center, Hyogo, Japan.
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Nishi
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Jenicek
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Tatara
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D005081:Exercise Therapy / Q000379:methods* / Q000592:standards; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D016017:Odds Ratio; D012008:Recurrence; D012107:Research Design; D018401:Sample Size; D016540:Smoking Cessation / Q000379:methods*; D000074606:Smoking Prevention; D016896:Treatment Outcome