For many smokers, especially women, the assumption that weight gain is an inevitable side effect of quitting may present a major obstacle to kicking the habit. However, some reputable studies challenge the notion that nicotine always acts as an appetite suppressant, suggesting that heavy smoking may actually stimulate the desire to overeat.
Cigarette Advertising
As far back as the 1920s, smoking was directly and indirectly promoted by cigarette manufacturers as a way to lose weight. A Lucky Strike advertising campaign from that time urged, "Reach for a Lucky instead of a sweet," and in subsequent decades, ads continued to use imagery implying that smoking helped attain desirable body shape. In campaigns directed at women, female athletes and glamorous beauties smoked "slim" cigarettes while campaigns directed at men depicted society's rugged, handsome masculine ideal.
The Popular View
On average, smokers weigh less than nonsmokers and for the first few months after quitting typically gain 4 to 10 lbs. Nicotine, a mild stimulant, speeds up the metabolism, causing the body to burn more calories. Together, these assertions have led to the widespread belief that smoking aids weight control and that gaining weight is certain after quitting.
Contradictory Evidence
A 1994 study cited in a Vanderbilt University paper noted an apparent paradox in the generally accepted correlation between smoking and weight control. Among smokers surveyed, those who smoked the most also weighed the most. In a 2005 study on mice conducted at Yale University and published in "Psychopharmacology," researchers noted that while nicotine might initially act as an appetite suppressant, heavy use appears to have the opposite effect. For almost five weeks after their last exposure, nicotine-dosed mice pushed a food-dispensing lever "many more times" than mice that had never been given nicotine, suggesting that nicotine itself had triggered the urge to overeat.
Other Reasons for Weight Gain
Most people who quit smoking lose any weight they gain after a few months but the withdrawal of nicotine's alleged appetite suppressing influence isn't the only reason for packing on pounds -- and maybe not even the main one. As senses of smell and taste recover, food becomes more appetizing. Eating may also become a substitute for the habitual hand-to-mouth action of smoking and in situations of stress, boredom or social interaction when people once reached for cigarettes, they reach for food instead.
Tips for Damage Control
Ohio State University's Medical Center recommends keeping the mouth, body and hands occupied while you are trying to quit smoking. Avoid junk food, drink eight glasses of water a day and when the urge to munch strikes, reach for sunflower seeds, carrots, apples or other fruits and vegetables. Keep sugar-free gum or hard candy on hand. Increase your level of physical activity by walking more, taking stairs instead of elevators, parking as far as possible from building entrances and getting more of the types of exercise you enjoy. If you want to put something in your mouth, try toothpicks or straws. Keep your hands busy by reading, doing puzzles or crafts or knitting. Keep a written record of your food intake. List your motivations for quitting smoking, and consult them often.
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