Increasing Physical Activity as Part of a Smoking Cessation Program
Condition: Smoking Cessation
Study type: Interventional

Summary: 
      Cigarette smoking is the most common risk factor for lung cancer, and it increases the risk
      of developing other cancers, chronic lung disease, and heart disease. A smoking cessation
      program that incorporates physical activity may be beneficial in improving long-term smoking
      cessation rates. This study will evaluate the effectiveness of a community-based physical
      activity program, in combination with nicotine replacement therapy and a behavioral smoking
      cessation program, at improving cessation rates among sedentary smokers.
    

Detailed description: 
      Tobacco use is the single most preventable cause of death in the United States, with
      cigarette smoking accounting for nearly one-third of all cancer deaths each year. While a
      number of inexpensive and effective smoking cessation methods exist, including the nicotine
      patch and nicotine gum, smoking rates have not declined in the past few years. Individuals
      who engage in regular exercise, in addition to participating in a smoking cessation program,
      are often successful at quitting smoking and reducing post-cessation weight gain. However,
      past studies on this topic have consisted of highly structured, supervised physical activity,
      which made study recruitment and long-term adherence difficult. Additionally, these studies
      generally have had low long-term quit rates, which may be attributed to the lack of a
      nicotine replacement component. The purpose of this study is to evaluate the effectiveness of
      a community-based physical activity intervention, in combination with a behavioral smoking
      cessation program and nicotine replacement, at increasing smoking cessation rates among
      sedentary adult smokers.

      This 7-week study will enroll sedentary or minimally active cigarette smokers. All
      participants will take part in a behavioral smoking cessation program and will wear a
      nicotine patch. In addition, they will be randomly assigned to take part in either a
      community-based physical activity intervention or a wellness control group intervention. All
      participants will attend sixteen 60- to 90-minute face-to-face counseling sessions and twelve
      20-minute telephone counseling sessions. They will also receive twelve informational
      mailings. Participants in the physical activity intervention will focus on increasing
      physical activity; the general wellness control group will receive information on general
      health topics. Outcome measures, including smoking status, physical activity levels, and body
      mass index, will be assessed at the end of the intervention and at 6- and 12-month follow-up
      visits.
    

Intervention name(s): Smoking Cessation Behavioral Program; Nicotine Patch; Physical Activity
Intervention type(s): Behavioral; Drug; Behavioral
Intervention MeSH terms: Nicotine
Allocation: Randomized
Intervention model: Parallel Assignment
Masking: None (Open Label)
Primary purpose: Treatment
Keywords: Physical Activity; Wellness Programs; Pharmacological Smoking Cessation