Despite a few kilos too much after quitting smoking, heart and vessels benefit

Even with weight gain after quitting smoking benefit our heart and the vessels
Anyone who stops smoking often has to put up with weight gain. This does not diminish the beneficial effects of smoking cessation on heart attack and stroke, according to a study from South Korea.

After a stop smoking the heart benefits. (Image: freshidea / fotolia)

Avoiding tobacco decreases the risk of cardiovascular events such as heart attack and stroke. However, many ex-smokers are increasing. Researchers from Seol addressed the question of whether weight gain negatively affects the reduced cardiovascular risk of ex-smokers.

The authors of the study evaluated data from 108,242 male insured persons from the database of the National Health Insurance of South Korea. Men over the age of 40 all participated twice in an obligatory health examination during the periods 2002-2003 and 2004-2005.

Eight percent (n = 6027) of the participants stated at the second check-up that they had stopped smoking in the meantime. Among them were 1633 who had a weight gain (BMI increase of more than 1 kg / m2).

The follow-up study for the period 2006-2013 found that participants who quit smoking had a significantly lower risk of heart attack and stroke than smokers. The risk declined regardless of whether the body weight had risen or stayed the same after the cessation of smoking. Even in the case of weight gain, the risk of heart attack in ex-smokers was relatively 67 percent and the risk of stroke relatively 25 percent lower than in men who were still smoking.