Comparative effectiveness of adding weight control simultaneously or sequentially to smoking cessation quitlines:...

Area of Science:

• Public Health
• Behavioral Science
• Health Services Research

Background:

• Rising prevalence of multiple health risk behaviors, including obesity and smoking, poses significant public health challenges.
• Weight gain is a common concern for smokers attempting to quit, often hindering cessation success.
• Previous research on combining weight management with smoking cessation was limited to specific demographics and settings.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate the effectiveness of integrating weight management into existing telephone quitline services for tobacco cessation.
• To assess the cost-effectiveness of combined tobacco and weight control interventions.
• To examine mediators of treatment effects, such as reduced weight concerns and improved self-efficacy for quitting without weight gain.

Main Methods:

• A randomized controlled trial involving 2550 smokers calling a telephone quitline.
• Participants were assigned to standard quitline services or services with simultaneous or sequential addition of a weight management program.
• Data collected at baseline, 6 months, and 12 months were analyzed using multivariate statistics to compare adherence, quit rates, and weight changes.

Main Results:

• The study is designed to generate data on the impact of combined interventions on smoking abstinence and weight management.
• Analysis will compare simultaneous versus sequential approaches for their effectiveness in increasing abstinence and reducing post-quit weight gain.
• The study will also assess if baseline characteristics or process measures moderate the association between group assignment and outcomes.

Conclusions:

• Findings will inform the integration of weight management into tobacco cessation interventions delivered through quitlines.
• If effective, the combined intervention could be widely disseminated, potentially encouraging more smokers to attempt quitting.
• The study will provide evidence on the optimal approach (simultaneous or sequential) for combined interventions.