title: A preliminary randomized controlled trial of a behavioral exercise intervention for smoking cessation.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Previous exercise intervention studies for smoking cessation have been challenged by a number of methodological limitations that confound the potential efficacy of aerobic exercise for smoking cessation.
  
  
  METHODS
  The preliminary efficacy of a behavioral exercise intervention that incorporated features designed to address prior limitations was tested in a randomized controlled trial (RCT). Sixty-one smokers (65.6% female, mean age = 47.3 years, smoked a mean of 19.7 cigarettes/day) were randomized to receive either a 12-week exercise intervention or a 12-week health education contact control. Participants in both conditions received an 8-week telephone-delivered, standard smoking cessation protocol (with the transdermal nicotine patch). Follow-ups were conducted at the end of treatment (EOT), 6- and 12-month timepoints.
  
  
  RESULTS
  There were no differences between conditions with respect to the number of weekly exercise or health education sessions attended (9.3±2.8 vs. 9.3±3.0, respectively). While not statistically significant, participants in the exercise condition demonstrated higher verified abstinence rates (EOT: 40% vs. 22.6%, odds ratio [OR] = 2.28; 6- and 12-month follow-ups: 26.7% vs. 12.9%, OR = 2.46). Irrespective of treatment condition, higher levels of moderate-to-vigorous exercise were associated with lower levels of depressive symptoms during the intervention.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The results of this small RCT point toward the benefit of a behavioral exercise intervention designed to address previous methodological limitations for smoking cessation. Given the potential public health impact of the demonstrated efficacy of exercise for smoking cessation, the continued development and optimization of exercise interventions for smokers through larger RCTs merits pursuit.
authors.affiliation: Butler Hospital, Providence, RI; Department of Psychiatry and Human Behavior, Alpert Medical School of Brown University, Providence, RI; ana_abrantes@brown.edu.
authors.forename: Ana M
authors.initials: AM
authors.lastname: Abrantes
authors.affiliation: Butler Hospital, Providence, RI; Department of Psychiatry and Human Behavior, Alpert Medical School of Brown University, Providence, RI;
authors.forename: Erika Litvin
authors.initials: EL
authors.lastname: Bloom
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychiatry and Human Behavior, Alpert Medical School of Brown University, Providence, RI; Department of Family and Preventive Medicine, University of California, San Diego, La Jolla, CA;
authors.forename: David R
authors.initials: DR
authors.lastname: Strong
authors.affiliation: Department of Kinesiology, University of Rhode Island, Kingston, RI.
authors.forename: Deborah
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Riebe
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychiatry and Human Behavior, Alpert Medical School of Brown University, Providence, RI; Department of Family and Preventive Medicine, University of California, San Diego, La Jolla, CA;
authors.forename: Bess H
authors.initials: BH
authors.lastname: Marcus
authors.affiliation: Butler Hospital, Providence, RI;
authors.forename: Julie
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Desaulniers
authors.affiliation: Butler Hospital, Providence, RI;
authors.forename: Kathryn
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Fokas
authors.affiliation: Butler Hospital, Providence, RI; Department of Psychiatry and Human Behavior, Alpert Medical School of Brown University, Providence, RI;
authors.forename: Richard A
authors.initials: RA
authors.lastname: Brown
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000339:Affect; D001521:Behavior Therapy; D066249:Craving; D003863:Depression; D015444:Exercise; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D016017:Odds Ratio; D012907:Smoking / Q000628:therapy; D016540:Smoking Cessation / Q000379:methods*; D013375:Substance Withdrawal Syndrome; D061485:Tobacco Use Cessation Devices