Preliminary evidence suggests that sequentially changing smoking alongside other risk behaviors was more effective than simultaneous change .
Follow-up period and intervention characteristics impacted effectiveness for some outcomes .
Interventions comprising education ( e.g. , providing information about behaviors associated with health risks ) and skills training ( e.g. , teaching skills that equip participants to engage in less risky behavior ) and targeting multiple risk behaviors concurrently are associated with small changes in diet and physical activity .
Although on average smoking was reduced , it appeared changes in smoking were negatively associated with changes in other behaviors , suggesting it may not be optimal to target smoking simultaneously with other risk behaviors
CONTEXT Multiple risk behaviors are common and associated with developing chronic conditions such as heart disease , cancer , or Type 2 diabetes .
Efficacy of exercise counselling as an aid for smoking cessation: a randomized controlled trial.
AIM To examine whether exercise counselling increases smoking abstinence and reduces tobacco withdrawal and gains in weight and body fat . DESIGN A r and omized controlled trial . SETTING A community-based stop smoking clinic . PARTICIPANTS Two hundred and ninety-nine male and female smokers . INTERVENTION Participants were assigned r and omly to a 7-week smoking cessation programme , including nicotine replacement therapy plus either ( i ) exercise counselling , or ( ii ) health education advice with equal contact time as for the exercise counselling condition . MEASUREMENTS Six weeks of smoking abstinence was confirmed by expired carbon monoxide . FINDINGS There was no significant difference in smoking abstinence between the exercise group ( n = 154 ) and the controls ( n = 145 ) at 6 weeks ( 39.6 % versus 38.6 % ) , nor was there any difference in gains in weight or body fat , although those in the exercise group increased their exercise levels . Exercise participants reported less tension , anxiety and stress than the controls during the first week of smoking abstinence ( P = 0.03 , 0.01 and 0.04 , respectively ) , less irritability throughout 2 weeks of abstinence ( P = 0.03 ) , and less restlessness throughout 3 weeks of abstinence ( P = 0.04 ) . CONCLUSIONS Adding brief exercise counselling to a smoking cessation programme did not increase smoking abstinence or reduce gains in weight or body fat significantly , although exercise levels were raised and there were some beneficial effects on psychological symptoms
Preliminary evidence suggests that sequentially changing smoking alongside other risk behaviors was more effective than simultaneous change .
Follow-up period and intervention characteristics impacted effectiveness for some outcomes .
Interventions comprising education ( e.g. , providing information about behaviors associated with health risks ) and skills training ( e.g. , teaching skills that equip participants to engage in less risky behavior ) and targeting multiple risk behaviors concurrently are associated with small changes in diet and physical activity .
Although on average smoking was reduced , it appeared changes in smoking were negatively associated with changes in other behaviors , suggesting it may not be optimal to target smoking simultaneously with other risk behaviors
CONTEXT Multiple risk behaviors are common and associated with developing chronic conditions such as heart disease , cancer , or Type 2 diabetes .