Expansive quitting in the US

While the fall in smoking prevalence in the US is seen as generally a positive development, it is believed to be one of the factors behind a rise in obesity, according to a story by Simon Robb for Metro.co.uk.

Smoking is said to have fallen by about two thirds since 1963 while obesity has increased by a similar proportion.

Charles Baum, professor of economics at Middle Tennessee State University, said that no one would recommend cigarette smoking as a way to combat obesity.

“But realistically, the decline in smoking might very well have had some effect on the rise of obesity,” he was quoted as saying.

“The decline in the prevalence of cigarette smoking didn’t have a large effect, comparatively speaking, but it had an effect. It can explain about as much as 4 per cent of the increase in obesity, according to our estimates.’

This might not seem much, but Baum said that out of all the factors, smoking came out on top.

Opinion is split on whether this effect occurs because tobacco is an appetite suppressant or because quitters are replacing one habit with another.

“Obviously, it’s hard to establish any causal relationship here, but I would definitely say it’s plausible that the fall in smoking contributed to the rise in obesity,” said obesity expert, Yoni Freedhoff.

Baum firmly stands by the fact that the fall in smoking “is an overwhelmingly positive thing”.

“It’s just useful to know what some of the side effects of quitting are,” he said. “It’s interesting to see how they might be contributing to national trends, like the rise in obesity.”