title: Predictors of marked weight gain in a population of health care and industrial workers following smoking cessation.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Concerns about postcessational weight gain might hamper rather than encourage smokers to quit smoking.
  
  
  METHODS
  We conducted a comprehensive multi-institutional smoking cessation program for health care and industrial workers (n = 654) employed at University Hospital Basel (Switzerland) and two local health industry companies (Novartis International AG, F. Hoffmann-La Roche AG). The program contained counselling with an option of pharmacological support. Changes in body weight were observed during 24 months of follow-up. Factors associated with longitudinal weight gain (> 5 % of baseline weight) were identified by cox-regression analysis.
  
  
  RESULTS
  In 51 % of permanent quitters no significant changes of mean body weight were observed after 12 (0.52 kg, SD ± 2.87 kg) and 24 months (0.40 kg, SD ± 2.99 kg). Marked weight gain following smoking cessation was characterized by a wide margin of changes. In more than a half of former smokers (58 %) weight increases were moderate (< 5 kg), whereas excessive increases (> 10 kg) were seen in only 10 % of quitters. Lower baseline BMI (HR 0.60, 95 % CI 0.40- 0.80, p = 0.03), daily consumption of less than ten cigarettes (HR 0.53, 95 % CI 0.27- 0.63, p = 0.04) and ischemic cardiopathy (HR 0.21, 95 % CI 0.07-0.62; p < 0.01) were associated with a lower risk for weight gain. Employees with lower educational levels (HR 2.60, 95 % CI 1.60-5.50, p < 0.01), diabetes mellitus (HR 3.05, 95 % CI 2.20-8.06, p = 0.02) and those smoking to reduce boredom in life (HR 1.68, 95 % CI 1.21-2.33, p < 0.01) were at highest risk.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Marked postcessational weight gain occurs less often than expected, but remains difficult to be predicted. Our findings might be helpful to alleviate weight concerns in the average smoker willing to quit.
authors.affiliation: Clinic of Pneumology and Pulmonary Research, University Hospital Basel, Petersgraben 4, CH-4031, Basel, Switzerland. scherra@uhbs.ch.
authors.forename: Andreas
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Scherr
authors.affiliation: Industrial Health Service, F. Hoffman- La Roche AG,, Basel, Switzerland. bruno.seiffert@roche.com.
authors.forename: Bruno
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Seifert
authors.affiliation: Industrial Health Service, Novartis International AG, Basel, Switzerland. martin.kuster@novartis.com.
authors.forename: Martin
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Kuster
authors.affiliation: Clinic of Pneumology and Pulmonary Research, University Hospital Basel, Petersgraben 4, CH-4031, Basel, Switzerland. Anja.Meyer@usb.ch.
authors.forename: Anja
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Meyer
authors.affiliation: Smokers Information Centre, Fagerstroem Consulting AB, Helsingborg, Sweden. karl.fagerstrom@tele2.se.
authors.forename: Karl-Olov
authors.initials: KO
authors.lastname: Fagerstroem
authors.affiliation: Clinic of Pneumology and Pulmonary Research, University Hospital Basel, Petersgraben 4, CH-4031, Basel, Switzerland. Michael.Tamm@usb.ch.
authors.forename: Michael
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Tamm
authors.affiliation: Clinic of Pneumology and Pulmonary Research, University Hospital Basel, Petersgraben 4, CH-4031, Basel, Switzerland. Daiana.Stolz@usb.ch.
authors.forename: Daiana
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Stolz
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D015992:Body Mass Index; D001835:Body Weight; D002318:Cardiovascular Diseases / Q000453:epidemiology; D003920:Diabetes Mellitus / Q000453:epidemiology; D004345:Drug Industry / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D005260:Female; D006282:Health Personnel / Q000523:psychology / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D006801:Humans; D008137:Longitudinal Studies; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D016540:Smoking Cessation / Q000523:psychology / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D012959:Socioeconomic Factors; D013557:Switzerland; D015430:Weight Gain