Truth About Smoking: Does It Cause Weight Loss?

Smoking is one of the most common causes of preventable death, but quitting smoking can be challenging for many reasons.

It is one of the leading causes of death worldwide, accounting for nearly 1.35 million deaths every year. India is the 2nd largest tobacco producer, making it widely available at very low prices. According to the Global Adult Tobacco Survey, almost 267 million adults in India (constituting 29% of all adults) use tobacco. There are smokeless tobacco products, but the ones used for smoking are bidi, cigarette and hookah.

Common among them is the effect on body weight due to smoking. Smoking can cause weight loss in several ways, often due to unhealthy reductions in food intake, poor metabolism, and the harmful effects of nicotine on the body. Moreover, smoking severely impacts overall health, contributing to respiratory diseases, heart disease, and various cancers.

This blog explains how quitting smoking can affect your weight and, more importantly, how you can manage it healthily after you quit.

Effects Of Smoking On Weight: Does It Make You Fat Or Skinny?
How Does Smoking Cause Weight Loss?
4 Tips To Quit Smoking
Expert’s Advice
The Final Say
FAQs
References

Effects Of Smoking On Weight: Does It Make You Fat Or Skinny?

Smoking and body weight have a complex relationship. Some people think smoking keeps them skinny, and though that may be true to some extent, that’s not exactly the full picture.

In the short term, smoking can suppress your appetite and boost your metabolism slightly, which might cause weight loss or prevent weight gain. Nicotine in cigarettes tricks your brain into feeling less hungry, suppressing the appetite of regular smokers. Additionally, smoking increases the number of calories your body burns, even at rest, which can contribute to weight loss.

But smoking is not a healthy way to manage your weight. Even if you lose a couple of kilos, you could end up gaining unhealthy belly fat, which is linked to a higher risk of heart disease and other health problems. In fact, after quitting smoking, many people experience some weight gain as their appetite returns, and they start eating more. So, while smoking might make some people appear thinner, it's not a sustainable or healthy method for controlling your weight—and the risks to your health are far greater.

A meta-analysis published in 2015 in the British Medical Journal analysed the genetic information of nearly 1,50,000 current, former, and non-smokers and found that a gene variant associated with heavy smoking can lead to an increase in waist circumference.

In addition to losing their appetite, smokers also lose their sense of smell and taste.

Also Read: What Are The Best Ways To Lose Weight Naturally? Let’s Find Out!

How Does Smoking Cause Weight Loss?

How Does Smoking Cause Weight Loss.jpg

Here’s a more detailed breakdown of how smoking causes weight loss:

1. Appetite Suppression

Nicotine, the active ingredient in all nicotine products, suppresses appetite. This leads to a decreased food intake, and as a result, smokers consume fewer calories, contributing to weight loss.

Also Read: 8 Expert-Recommended Ways To Help You Lose Weight Fast Without Exercise Naturally!

2. Nicotine & Metabolism

Smoking boosts metabolism, though only slightly. Nicotine increases the body’s resting metabolic rate (RMR), which means smokers burn more calories even at rest, increasing their calorie expenditure and contributing to weight loss.

3. Behavioural Changes

Smoking often replaces eating, and smokers may find themselves reaching for a cigarette instead of a snack, reducing their overall calorie intake. This behavioural aspect of smoking can lead to less food consumption, which may contribute to weight loss.

4. Complex Physiological and Behavioral Effects

Nicotine influences brain chemicals like dopamine and norepinephrine, which can alter food cravings and appetite.

Also Read: 7 Causes Of Weight Loss In Men And Ways To Prevent It

4 Tips To Quit Smoking

Here are some tips if you want to quit smoking:

1. Control Your Mind

Smoking can be very addictive, and it can be difficult to quit. Set your goals. Set a quit date and make sure you quit on that day - all at once. In the meantime, set small goals like not smoking until the afternoon, etc., to reduce the density of nicotine in your body.

2. Drink Water

As soon as you get the urge to smoke, drink a glass of water, which can help you put off the urge for a cigarette for a while. You can also try black coffee with ghee. In this way, a gap between cigarette smoking could be created, ultimately helping you quit it for good.

3. Chewing Gum

Try to distract your mind every time you feel like smoking. Eat a piece of gum or have a mint to calm the craving for a cigarette. You can also eat caramel; it can help reduce appetite due to its sweet taste.

4. Exercise

When you quit smoking, start exercising or go outside for a run. Because the urge to smoke can make you feel irritable and hyperactive at times. Running and exercise can help you release frustration and calm you down.

Also Read: Celebrate World Pneumonia Day 2024: Significance, Theme And Creative Ways to Raise Awareness!

Expert’s Advice

Quitting smoking can lead to slight weight gain. Trying to quit, exercise more, eat healthily, and pay attention to portion sizes and ingredients in foods can help reduce the risk of long-term excessive weight gain.

A healthier substitute for controlling hunger pangs is to replace a nicotine stick with a cup of green tea. There are other healthy ways to increase your metabolism than choosing cigarettes that contain nicotine. Exercising and eating regularly will boost your metabolism. Drink lots of cold water for faster metabolism and weight loss.

Health Expert
Lavina Chauhan

The Final Say

If you want to lose weight, smoking is not the way to go. This is a method that will make you weak and not lose weight, which has healthy connotations. Smoking only means diseases and permanent health problems in the future. Weight loss should be a sustainable process that leaves your skin firm, glowing and your health parameters in check.

FAQs

1. Does smoking cause belly fat?

Yes, smoking can contribute to belly fat. Studies have shown that smokers tend to have more abdominal fat, which is linked to an increased risk of heart disease and other health issues.

2. Do cigarettes cause weight loss?

Yes, smoking can lead to weight loss primarily due to appetite suppression caused by nicotine, which makes food less appealing. However, this weight loss is unhealthy and often results in nutrient deficiencies.

3. Does smoking cause water retention?

There is no existing reliable evidence that supports a link between smoking and water retention.

4. Can smoking make you lose weight?

While smoking may contribute to weight loss, it is not a safe or effective method. The health risks far outweigh any temporary weight loss benefits, leading to serious long-term health issues.

References

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The Truth About Smoking: Does It Cause Weight Loss? 4 Tips To Quit Smoking

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