Weight Gain After Smoking Cessation and Risk of Major Chronic Diseases and Mortality

Key Points Question Is weight gain following smoking cessation associated with an increase in the risk of chronic diseases or mortality? Findings In this nationally representative cohort study of 16 663 Australian adults studied between 2006 and 2014, people who quit smoking had significantly lower risk of death than those who continued smoking regardless of change to weight and body mass index after quitting. Neither weight change nor body mass index change following smoking cessation was significantly associated with the risk of cardiovascular disease, type 2 diabetes, cancer, or chronic obstructive pulmonary disease. Meaning These findings suggest that postcessation weight gain poses a trivial risk of harm compared with the benefits of quitting, and smoking cessation interventions should include messages about the safety of postcessation weight gain.