For individuals diagnosed with serious mental illness, quitting smoking has a net benefit
Weight gain is a prominent concern for individuals who quit smoking. While prior research has shown an overall net benefit of quitting smoking even when weight gain is considered (see here), individuals with mental illness are typically not included in this research. According to a recent study published in The Journal of Clinical Psychiatry, individuals with serious mental illness, too, such as those diagnosed with schizophrenia, who quit smoking may also have reduced cardiovascular risk compared to similar individuals who do not quit smoking.
The study, conducted by a Massachusetts General Hospital research team, including lead and corresponding author Anne Thorndike, MD, MPH, and senior author A. Eden Evins, MD, MPH, was a secondary analysis of a larger clinical trial of the smoking-cessation drug varenicline (see here for the abstract of the original trial). The research study examined differences on several cardiovascular risk factors, including weight gain, between patients with serious mental illness who were tobacco-free versus those who had resumed smoking during the 40-week follow-up period. Study authors suggest that these results highlight the health benefits of quitting smoking for individuals with serious mental illness, and also the need to develop and implement integrated smoking cessation treatments that have a broader focus on well-being, including diet, exercise, and other behavioral health interventions.
Click here for the study abstract and here for a more detailed summary of the study’s procedure and results.