Weight gain after quitting smoking proven by research

Weight Gain Linked to Quitting Smoking

Weight gain had long been reported by many people who quit smoking but it's not until now that scientists finally understood the mechanism behind it.

As reported Friday in the journal Science, researchers have discovered that nicotine supresses the appetite by activating cells in the brain responsible for the feeling of satiety.

It means that after smoking cessation, the effect of nicotine to suppress appetite is gone and so quitters tend to feel hungry and eat more. The weight gain they experience is not substantial - just 10 pounds on average.

But the significance lies in the fact that many smokers invoke weight gain as an excuse not to quit. The new study can pave the way for newer treatments that can help smokers to not gain the extra pounds when they give up the habit.

The discovery of the weight gain connection was accidental. Yale University researcher Yann Mineur who was conducting a separate study noticed that mice who received nicotine and cystine ate less. The chemicals affected the hypothalamus, the area of the brain which regulates appetite. This action was distinct from the mechanism of nicotine addiction that has been established before by past studies.

Health experts say small amounts of weight gain should not discourage smokers in quitting because far more deadly diseases such as heart problems and stroke are caused by smoking. But for those who are particular about their weight, study author Marina Picciotto suggests nicotine-based smoking-cessation programs.

Many young women say that they don't want the weight gain associated with quitting and make it as an excuse to continue smoking.

Posted by George Daniels on Sunday June 12 2011, 1:00 AM EST. Ref: AP. All trademarks acknowledged. Filed under Featured News, Health. Comments and Trackbacks closed. Follow responses: RSS 2.0