Efficacy of exercise counselling as an aid for smoking cessation: a randomized controlled trial.
OBJECTIVE
To examine whether exercise counselling increases smoking abstinence and reduces tobacco withdrawal and gains in weight and body fat.


METHODS
A randomized controlled trial.


METHODS
A community-based stop smoking clinic.


METHODS
Two hundred and ninety-nine male and female smokers.


METHODS
Participants were assigned randomly to a 7-week smoking cessation programme, including nicotine replacement therapy plus either (i) exercise counselling, or (ii) health education advice with equal contact time as for the exercise counselling condition.


METHODS
Six weeks of smoking abstinence was confirmed by expired carbon monoxide.


RESULTS
There was no significant difference in smoking abstinence between the exercise group (n = 154) and the controls (n = 145) at 6 weeks (39.6% versus 38.6%), nor was there any difference in gains in weight or body fat, although those in the exercise group increased their exercise levels. Exercise participants reported less tension, anxiety and stress than the controls during the first week of smoking abstinence (P = 0.03, 0.01 and 0.04, respectively), less irritability throughout 2 weeks of abstinence (P = 0.03), and less restlessness throughout 3 weeks of abstinence (P = 0.04).


CONCLUSIONS
Adding brief exercise counselling to a smoking cessation programme did not increase smoking abstinence or reduce gains in weight or body fat significantly, although exercise levels were raised and there were some beneficial effects on psychological symptoms.
Ussher
Michael
M
Department of Psychology, Hunter Wing, St George's Hospital Medical School, London, UK. mussher@sghms.ac.uk
West
Robert
R
McEwen
Andy
A
Taylor
Adrian
A
Steptoe
Andrew
A
D000328:Adult; D003376:Counseling; D015444:Exercise; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010349:Patient Compliance; D015397:Program Evaluation; D016540:Smoking Cessation / Q000379:methods*; D015430:Weight Gain