Title

Effects of Smoking Cessation on Body Composition in Postmenopausal Women

Authors

Alison Kleppinger, University of Connecticut School of Medicine and Dentistry
Mark D. Litt, University of Connecticut School of Medicine and Dentistry
Anne M. Kenny, University of Connecticut School of Medicine and Dentistry
Cheryl A. Oncken, University of Connecticut School of Medicine and Dentistry

Document Type

Article

Disciplines

Medicine and Health Sciences

Abstract

Abstract

Background

Smoking cessation is associated with weight gain, but the effects of smoking cessation on measures of body composition (BC) have not been adequately evaluated. The purpose of this study is to examine the effects of 16 months of cigarette abstinence on areas of BC measured by dual-energy x-ray absorptiometry (DXA).

Methods

One hundred fifty-two postmenopausal women participated in a smoking cessation study using the nicotine patch. Secondary analyses were conducted on data from 119 subjects (age 56±7 years, range 41–78 years) who had had DXA scans at baseline and 16 months later. Participants were classified either as quitters (self-reported cigarette abstinence confirmed with exhaled carbon monoxide [co] ≤8ppm at 3 and 16 months after quit date) or as continued smokers. BC was assessed using a General Electric Lunar DXA IQ machine. Four areas of BC (kg) were measured: whole body weight, fat mass, muscle mass, and functional skeletal muscle mass in arms and legs (ASM/ht²). Multivariate analysis of covariance (MANCOVA) assessed changes in BC in quitters vs. continued smokers between baseline and 16 months of follow-up. Increases in BC measures were evaluated as a function of increased calorie intake or change in physical activity, using linear regression.

Results

Quitters significantly increased body weight (p<0.001), fat mass (p<0.001), muscle mass (p=0.04), and functional muscle mass (p=0.004) over time, when baseline BC measures and other confounding factors were controlled. Regression analysis indicated change in BC could not be accounted for by calorie intake or physical activity.

Conclusions

Smoking cessation may be associated with increased fat and muscle mass in postmenopausal women. The novel finding of an increase in functional muscle mass suggests that smoking cessation could increase functional capacity. Further studies need to replicate these findings and examine mechanisms of these effects.

Comments

Originally published in :

PMID:

[PubMed - indexed for MEDLINE]

PMCID:

PMC2965692

Recommended Citation

Kleppinger, Alison; Litt, Mark D.; Kenny, Anne M.; and Oncken, Cheryl A., "Effects of Smoking Cessation on Body Composition in Postmenopausal Women" (2010). UCHC Articles - Research. 121.
https://digitalcommons.lib.uconn.edu/uchcres_articles/121