Associations between dieting and smoking-related behaviors in young women

Many young women report smoking due to weight concerns, but little is known about the relationship between weight concerns and current smoking behavior. The present study examined smoking topography and the acute sensory and physiological responses to smoking in dieting and non-dieting young women. In addition, the effect of presentation of food cues on these responses was examined. Self-reported female current dieters (n=15) and non-dieters (n=15) attended two laboratory sessions (food cues present/food cues absent). Physiological and subjective responses were recorded pre- and post-cigarette at each session. Smoking topography was assessed by video analysis. Dieters scored higher than non-dieters on measures of weight control smoking, dietary restraint, and disinhibition. At both sessions, they smoked less of the cigarette, had shorter inhalation durations, longer inter-puff intervals, experienced smaller physiological effects and gave lower ratings of the sensory aspects of smoking than non-dieters. The presence of food cues did not alter smoking topography or sensory/physiological responses but the dieters reported a greater desire to smoke in the presence of food cues. These data suggest that sensory factors may be less important influences on smoking for weight control smokers than non-weight control smokers and that further investigation of the role of food cues in maintaining smoking behavior in weight control smokers is warranted.