Participation in a population-based physical activity programme as an aid for smoking cessation: a randomised trial.
OBJECTIVE
Exercise combined with nicotine therapy may help smoking cessation and minimise weight gain after quitting. Low participation in vigorous-intensity physical activity programmes precludes their population-wide applicability. In a randomised controlled trial, we tested whether a population-based moderate-intensity physical activity programme increases quit rates among sedentary smokers receiving nicotine therapy.


METHODS
Participants (n=481; 57% male; mean age, 42.2 years (SD 10.1); mean cigarette consumption, 27 (SD 10.2) per day) were offered a nine-week smoking cessation programme consisting of a weekly 15-minute counselling session and the prescription of nicotine replacement therapy. In addition, participants in the physical activity group (n=229) also took part in a programme of moderate-intensity physical activity implemented at the national level, and offering nine weekly 60-minute sessions of physical activity. To ensure equal contact conditions, participants in the control group (n=252) attended weekly 60-minute health behaviour education sessions unrelated to physical activity. The primary outcome was continuous CO-verified smoking abstinence rates at 1-year follow-up.


RESULTS
Continuous smoking abstinence rates were high and similar in the physical activity group and the control group at the end of the intervention (47% versus 46%, p=0.81) and at 1-year follow-up (27% versus 29%, p=0.71). The mean weight gain after one year was 4.4 kg and 6.2 kg among sustained quitters of the physical activity and control groups, respectively (p=0.06).


CONCLUSIONS
Participation in a population-based moderate-intensity physical activity programme for 9 weeks in addition to a comprehensive smoking cessation programme did not significantly increase smoking cessation rates. A non-significant reduction in weight gain was observed among participants who quit smoking in the physical activity group.


BACKGROUND
ClinicalTrials.gov; US National Institutes for Health (available online at http://clinicaltrials.gov/;


BACKGROUND
NCT00521391).
Bize
Raphaël
R
Department of Ambulatory Care and Community Medicine, University of Lausanne, Lausanne, Switzerland. raphael.bize@hospvd.ch
Willi
Carole
C
Chiolero
Arnaud
A
Stoianov
Rebecca
R
Payot
Sylvie
S
Locatelli
Isabella
I
Cornuz
Jacques
J
D000328:Adult; D002248:Carbon Monoxide / Q000032:analysis; D003131:Combined Modality Therapy; D003376:Counseling; D015444:Exercise; D005260:Female; D006266:Health Education; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009538:Nicotine / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D016540:Smoking Cessation / Q000379:methods* / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D015430:Weight Gain
D009538:Nicotine; D002248:Carbon Monoxide