Exercise for Smoking Cessation in Postmenopausal Women: A Randomized, Controlled Trial

Area of Science:

• Public Health
• Behavioral Science
• Gerontology

Background:

• Postmenopausal smokers face challenges in quitting and often experience weight gain.
• Smoking cessation interventions need to address these specific difficulties.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate if moderate exercise, as an adjunct to varenicline treatment, improves smoking cessation and mitigates weight gain in postmenopausal women.
• To compare the effects of exercise versus relaxation on cigarette abstinence, cigarettes smoked per day (CPD), and body mass index (BMI).

Main Methods:

• 301 postmenopausal women were randomized to a 12-week treatment program with varenicline and either moderate exercise or relaxation.
• Participants were followed for 6 months of treatment and 1 year post-treatment.

Main Results:

• No significant differences in continuous or prolonged smoking abstinence were observed between the exercise and relaxation groups.
• The exercise group showed a greater reduction in CPD over time compared to the relaxation group.
• Both groups experienced weight gain, but the increase in BMI was slower in the exercise group.

Conclusions:

• Moderate exercise adjunctive to varenicline treatment reduced CPD and slowed BMI increase in postmenopausal women but did not enhance smoking abstinence rates.
• Further research is required to develop exercise interventions that effectively increase smoking cessation rates in this population.