Research

Ex-smokers regain same health status of non-smokers, but can take years
According to a study from Statistics Canada, the health of women who quit smoking is equal to non-smoking women after about ten years of quitting; and for men, the gain in health is slower at an average of about twenty years. The researchers examined data from the National Population Health Survey in Canada from 1994-95 among 3,341 men and 4,143 women ages 40 and older. The study suggests that the differences in health improvements may be attributed to differences in smoking patterns between men and women. The most significant finding from this study is that long-term smoking cessation results in an improvement to the health-related quality of life at any age. Click here to read more about this study published in Health Reports.

Postmenopausal smokers 6 times likelier to experience tooth loss
A study published in the Journal of the American Dental Association concludes that postmenopausal women who are smokers are at a higher risk of losing their teeth compared to their non-smoking counterparts. Data from 1,106 women who participated in the Buffalo OsteoPerio Study, an offshoot of the Women’s Health Initiative (WHI), was used to determine this finding. Previous data has associated smoking with tooth loss, but this study found that postmenopausal women, specifically, experience more tooth loss than men of the same age. Heavy smokers (smoked a pack a day for 26 years) were about twice as likely to report tooth loss overall and more than six times as likely to experience tooth loss due to periodontal disease compared to those who had never smoked a cigarette. This study provides evidence of the importance of quitting smoking in order to prevent tooth loss. Click here to read more. Click here to read the study abstract.

Levels of selected carcinogens and toxicants in vapor from electronic cigarettes
A recent study examined the toxicity of the vapor released by e-cigarettes. The researchers analyzed the vapors generated by twelve brands of e-cigarettes, and extracted the toxic compounds. Some toxic substances were found, but the levels of the toxicants were 9-450 times lower than what is found in cigarette smoke. According to this study, use of e-cigarettes as a substitute for regular cigarettes may reduce exposure to some tobacco-specific toxicants, but further research is needed. Click here to read the study abstract published in Tobacco Control.

Post-smoking weight gain healthier than cigarettes: Study
Continued smoking is more harmful than potential weight gain after quitting, according to a recent study funded by the National Institutes of Health (NIH). Data collected between 1984 through 2011 from the ongoing Framingham Heart Study were used to measure the weight and heart health over time among those who had never smoked, those who quit smoking within the last four years, and people who quit more than four years ago. The previous conditions were then compared to data from those who continued to smoke. Individuals who had quit smoking reported to gain an average of 6 to 10 pounds. Those who quit smoking were approximately half as likely to experience a heart attack or stroke, or die from a heart attack, regardless of the weight gain. Therefore, the researchers conclude that at the population level, the health benefits of quitting smoking outweigh the health effects of being overweight. Click here to read more about this study. Click here to read the NIH’s statement on this study. Click here to read the study in JAMA.

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