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  1. Open randomised trial...
  2. Open randomised trial of intermittent very low energy diet together with nicotine gum for stopping smoking in women who gained weight in previous attempts to quitCommentary: results are unlikely to be as good in routine practice
General Practice

Open randomised trial of intermittent very low energy diet together with nicotine gum for stopping smoking in women who gained weight in previous attempts to quitCommentary: results are unlikely to be as good in routine practice

BMJ 1999; 319 doi: https://doi.org/10.1136/bmj.319.7208.490 (Published 21 August 1999) Cite this as: BMJ 1999;319:490
  1. Tobias Danielsson (tobias.danielsson{at}medhs.ki.se), clinical research managera,
  2. Stephan Rössner, professor of health behaviour research, Karolinska Institutea,
  3. Åke Westin, biostatisticianb
  1. a Obesity Unit, Karolinska Hospital, S-171 76 Stockholm, Sweden
  2. b Pharmacia and Upjohn Consumer Healthcare, S-251 09 Helsingborg, Sweden
  3. Department of Primary Health Care, School of Health Sciences, Medical School, Newcastle upon Tyne NE2 4HH
  1. Correspondence to: T Danielsson, Obesity Unit, Huddinge University Hospital, S-141 86 Huddinge, Sweden
  • Accepted 30 April 1999

Abstract

Objective: To determine whether attempts to prevent weight gain will increase success rates for stopping smoking.

Design: 16 week, open, randomised study with 1 year follow up.

Setting: Obesity unit.

Subjects: 287 female smokers who had quit smoking before but started again because of weight concerns.

Intervention: Combination of a standard smoking cessation programme with nicotine gum and a behavioural weight control programme including a very low energy diet. A control group was treated with the identical programme but without the diet.

Main outcome measure: Sustained cessation of smoking.

Results: After 16 weeks, 68/137 (50%) women had stopped smoking in the diet group versus 53/150 (35%) in the control group (P=0.01). Among these women, weight fell by mean 2.1 (95% confidence interval 2.9 to 1.3) kg in the diet group but increased by 1.6 (0.9 to 2.3) kg in the control group (P<0.001). After 1 year the success rates in the diet and control groups were 38/137 (28%) and 24/150 (16%) respectively (P<0.05), but there was no statistical difference in weight gain.

Conclusions: Combining the smoking cessation programme with an intervention to control weight helped women to stop smoking and control weight.

Footnotes

  • Funding Swedish Peoples' Health Institute, Pharmacia and Upjohn Consumer Healthcare, and Nycomed Pharma.

  • Competing interests TD and ÅW are employed by Pharmacia and Upjohn Consumer Healthcare. SR has been reimbursed by Pharmacia and Upjohn and Nycomed Pharma, the manufacturer of Nutrilett, for attending conferences and received financial support from Nycomed Pharma for clinical research.

  • Accepted 30 April 1999

Commentary: results are unlikely to be as good in routine practice

  1. Kevin Jones, senior lecturer (k.p.jones{at}ncl.ac.uk)
  1. a Obesity Unit, Karolinska Hospital, S-171 76 Stockholm, Sweden
  2. b Pharmacia and Upjohn Consumer Healthcare, S-251 09 Helsingborg, Sweden
  3. Department of Primary Health Care, School of Health Sciences, Medical School, Newcastle upon Tyne NE2 4HH
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