The role of weight concern and self-efficacy in smoking cessation and weight gain among smokers in a clinic-based cessation program.
Although the majority of smokers are concerned about postcessation weight gain, few studies have investigated the prospective relationship between weight concern and smoking and weight outcomes, or a mechanism by which concern is related to these outcomes. We investigated the prospective role of smoking-specific weight concern in smoking cessation and weight gain among participants in a smoking-cessation clinic, and we hypothesized that domain-specific self-efficacy would be a mediator of these relationships. While weight concern did not prospectively predict smoking status, increased weight concern predicted weight gain at the end of treatment and at 3-month follow-up. Self-efficacy for preventing postcessation weight gain mediated this relationship; lower levels were related to a greater likelihood of weight gain. Weight gain was found to be associated with subsequent relapse among abstainers. Implications and treatment recommendations are discussed.
Division of Behavioral and Preventive Medicine, Brown University School of Medicine, Miriam Hospital. Belinda_Borrelli@Brown.edu
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B
Borrelli
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R
Mermelstein
D000328:Adult; D001828:Body Image; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D005783:Gender Identity; D006801:Humans; D008875:Middle Aged; D010342:Patient Acceptance of Health Care; D011446:Prospective Studies; D012008:Recurrence; D020377:Self Efficacy; D016540:Smoking Cessation / Q000523:psychology*; D015430:Weight Gain