Research

Smoking cessation programs targeted to women: A systematic review
A recent systematic review of 39 studies in peer-reviewed scientific journals sought to identify effective tobacco cessation interventions developed to meet the needs of women. The findings revealed that addressing concerns about weight gain were the most promising, and that further research is needed to determine how smoking cessation medications interact with non-pharmacological treatment. Offering smoking cessation interventions to low-income women accessing public health clinics was identified as an effective strategy, and the researchers note that further research should be devoted to identifying other settings to provide access to smoking cessation treatment for disadvantaged groups. Click here to view the abstract of the research, which was published in Women & Health.

Mass media campaigns to promote smoking cessation among adults: An integrative review
According to an article published in Tobacco Control, mass media campaigns can promote smoking cessation and reduce the prevalence of adult smoking. Researchers conducted a systematic review of studies examining the impact of mass media campaigns aimed at adult smokers to help them quit smoking. The sum of the evidence indicates that mass media campaigns can promote smoking cessation and reduce adult smoking prevalence, but campaign reach, intensity, duration of the campaign, and message type may influence the campaign’s success. The authors conclude that mass media campaigns are an important and evidence-based component of a comprehensive tobacco program. Read the study abstract here.

Quitting smoking results in minimal weight gain
A new study published in Health Services Research shows that quitting smoking leads to a minimal amount of weight gain, and weight gain from smoking cessation is unlikely to have made a significant contribution to the escalating obesity epidemic. Researchers examined data from the 2004-2005 and 2009-2010 Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance Surveys to determine how smoking cessation affected weight gain over time among age and gender subgroups. The data showed that gender, age, and time since quitting smoking all affect the amount of weight gained after cessation. In particular, younger men and women were less likely to gain weight after quitting smoking. In light of the findings, the researchers believe the health benefits from smoking cessation outweigh the negative health effects of any associated weight gain. Click here to read more and read the study abstract here.

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