Weight gain of patients during the smoking cessation process: Is it an obstacle to quitting smoking?

Objective: One of the reasons for the high prevalence of smoking in our country is the low rate of quitting. One of the factors that cause smoking cessation failure is that patients have weight gain concerns or gain weight during the smoking cessation process. Our aim in our study was to determine the effect of weight gain concern and weight gain on short-term smoking cessation success of patients in the smoking cessation process. Methods: In this prospective descriptive-cohort study, the smokers who applied to the ADU family medicine smoking cessation clinic between June 2020 and November 2020 participated in smoking. Data were collected through the smoking cessation outpatient clinic follow-up protocol form. The weight measurements of the patients at first admission, first, second and third months were made with "Vestel V-fit" electronic scale. Data analysis was done with SPSS 25.0 package program. In addition to descriptive statistics, binary analyzes were performed with the chi-square test to determine the variables affecting the success of smoking cessation. Chi-square and Fisher's exact test were used to compare categorical data affecting quitting success. Student t test and Mann-Whitney U test were used to compare quantitative data. Results: 115 smokers applied to our smoking cessation outpatient clinic for smoking cessation support in a six-month period. The mean age of onset of smoking of the participants was 16.9±5.3 and they smoked an average of 26.5±12 cigarettes per day; 14.8% of them were concerned about gaining weight during the smoking cessation process. 37 (32.2%) of the patients who received smoking cessation support were non-smokers at the end of the three-month follow-up. Due to the absence of follow-up, 71 patients were evaluated because the weight measurements of 44 smokers were missing. Of the 71 patients included in the evaluation, 52.1% gained weight within three months, 21.1% lost weight and 26.8% remained at the same weight. At the end of 3 months, those who quit smoking were younger (41.6 ± 13.3 vs. 37.3 ± 11.6; p=0.017) and their duration of smoking was shorter (29.7 ± 17.1 vs. versus 23.1 ± 15.4 packs/year; p=0.036). The three-month smoking cessation success of those without a chronic disease was higher (41.8%) than those who have (18.8%) (p=0.016). All participants gained weight compared to the baseline period at the end of three months (p<0.05), but there was no significant difference between the weight gain of those who quit smoking and those who did not (p>0.05). There was no significant relationship between weight gain concern and changes in weight during the smoking cessation process and success in quitting at three months (p>0.05). Conclusion: The presence of weight gain concern related to smoking cessation before the smoking cessation process does not affect the quitting success of the person and no relationship was found between the short-term body weight changes of the people who are in the smoking cessation process and the success of smoking cessation. Because of the known benefits of quitting smoking, patients should be informed about the possibility of weight gain during the smoking cessation process, and patients with weight gain concern should be encouraged. We also think that treatment should be individualized and encouraged to maintain a healthy lifestyle to avoid excessive weight gain.