The Efficacy of Individualized, Community-Based Physical Activity to Aid Smoking Cessation: A Randomized Controlled...

Area of Science:

• Public Health
• Behavioral Medicine
• Exercise Science

Background:

• Smoking cessation remains a significant public health challenge, necessitating effective adjunctive treatments.
• Individualized, community-based physical activity programs are explored as a novel approach to enhance smoking cessation.
• The Lifestyle Enhancement Program (LEAP) aimed to evaluate the efficacy of physical activity as an adjunct to standard cessation interventions.

Purpose of the Study:

• To assess the effectiveness of individualized, community-based physical activity as an adjunctive smoking cessation treatment.
• To compare long-term smoking cessation rates between a physical activity group and a wellness curriculum group.
• To identify factors associated with prolonged smoking abstinence.

Main Methods:

• A two-arm, parallel-group, randomized controlled trial involving 392 participants receiving cessation counseling and nicotine patches.
• Participants were randomized to either a physical activity group (YMCA membership, personalized exercise) or a wellness curriculum group.
• Primary outcome was biochemically verified prolonged abstinence at 7 weeks, 6 months, and 12 months; secondary outcomes included tobacco abstinence rates and physical activity levels.

Main Results:

• No significant differences in prolonged abstinence rates were observed between the physical activity (14.1%) and wellness (17.1%) groups at 12 months (P >0.18).
• Point prevalent abstinence rates also did not differ significantly between groups at any follow-up point.
• Increased strength training minutes predicted prolonged abstinence at 12 months (P ≤ 0.001), and social support was also associated with abstinence.

Conclusions:

• Community-based physical activity, as an adjunctive treatment, did not improve long-term smoking cessation rates compared to wellness counseling.
• While physical activity increased, it did not translate to higher quit rates in this study.
• Factors such as social support, shorter smoking history, and lower temptation to smoke were associated with successful long-term smoking cessation.