Abstract
Rationale
A previous study found that a 10-min bout of moderate intensity exercise reduced cigarette withdrawal symptoms and desire to smoke in sedentary smokers but the effect may have been due to participants focusing attention on physical activity rather than the activity itself.
Objectives
This study examined the effect of 5 min of moderate intensity exercise and 5 min of light intensity exercise on tobacco withdrawal symptoms amongst sedentary smokers.
Methods
Eighty-four smokers attended a laboratory session having abstained from smoking for between 11 and 14 h. Participants were randomly allocated to one of three conditions: (i) light intensity exercise [n=28; 10–20% of heart rate reserve (HRR)]; (ii) moderate intensity exercise (n=28; 40–60% HRR), (iii) a passive control condition (n=28). Both exercise conditions involved 5 min of stationary cycling and participants rated tobacco withdrawal symptoms and cravings immediately before exercise (baseline), during exercise at 2.5 min, immediately following exercise, then after 5 and 10 min of rest. Control participants made the same ratings across an equivalent time period.
Results
For moderate intensity exercise compared to light intensity exercise and control there was a significant reduction in strength of desire to smoke, relative to baseline, both during exercise and up to 5 min post-exercise. Relative to baseline, there were also significant reductions in restlessness, stress, tension and poor concentration at 5 and 10 min post-exercise, for moderate intensity exercise compared to light intensity exercise and control.
Conclusions
Five minutes of moderate intensity exercise is associated with a short-term reduction in desire to smoke and tobacco withdrawal symptoms. Very brief bouts of exercise may therefore be useful as an aid to smoking cessation.
Similar content being viewed by others
References
Blair SN, Haskell W, Ho P, Paffenberger R, Vranizan K, Farquhar J, Wood P (1985) Assessment of habitual physical activity by a seven day recall in a community survey and controlled experiments. Am J Epidemiol 122:794–804
Bock B, Marcus B, King T, Borelli B. Roberts M (1999) Exercise effects on withdrawal and mood among women attempting smoking cessation. Addict Behav 24:399–410
Borg GAV (1998) Borg’s perceived exertion and pain scales. Human Kinetics, Champaign, Ill.
Department of Health Statistics Bulletin (2000) Statistics on smoking: England, 1978 onwards. Crown, London
Doll R, Peto R, Wheatley K, Gray R, Sutherland I (1994) Mortality in relation to smoking: 4 years’ observation on male British doctors. BMJ 309:901–908
Ford ES, Ahluwalia IB, Galuska DA (2000) Social relationships and cardiovascular disease risk factors: findings from the third national health and nutrition examination survey. Prev Med 30:83–92
Franklin BA (ed) (2000) American College of Sports Medicine guidelines for exercise testing and prescription, 6th edn. Lippincott, Williams and Wilkins, Philadelphia
Grove J, Wilkinson A, Dawson, B (1993) Effects of exercise on selected correlates of smoking withdrawal. Int J Sport Psychol 24:217–236
Heatherton T, Kozlowski L, Frecker R, Fagerström K (1991) The Fagerstrom test for nicotine dependence: a revision of the Fagerstrom Tolerance Questionnaire. Br J Addict 86:1119–1128
Hughes J (1992) Tobacco withdrawal in self-quitters. J Consult Clin Psychol 60:689–697
Karvonen MJ, Kentala E, Mustala O (1957) The effects of training on heart rate: a longitudinal study. Ann Med Exp Biol 35:305
Kimm SY, Glynn NW, Kriska AM, Barton BA, Kronsberg SS, Daniels SR, Crawford PB, Sabry ZI, Liu, K (2002) Decline in physical activity in black girls and white girls during adolescence. N Engl J Med 347:709–15
King T, Matachin M, Marcus B, Bock B, Tripolone, J (2000) Body image evaluations in women smokers. Addict Behav 25:613–618
Marcus BH, Albrecht AE, King AE, Parisi AF, Pinto BM, Roberts M, Niaura RS, Abrams DB (1999) The efficacy of exercise as an aid for smoking cessation in women: a randomised controlled trial. Arch Int Med 14:1229–1234
McNair DM, Lorr M, Droppleman LF (1971) Profiles of mood states. Educational and Industrial Testing Service, San Diego, Calif.
Morgan W (1997) Physical activity and mental health. Taylor & Francis, Bristol
Noble BJ, Borg GAV, Jacobs I (1983) A category-ratio perceived exertion scale: relationship to blood and muscle lactates and heart rate. Med Sci Sports Exerc 15:523–528
Pomerleau OF, Scherzer HH, Grunberg NE, Pomerlau CS, Judge J, Fertig JB, Burleson J (1987) The effects of acute exercise on subsequent cigarette smoking. J Behav Med 10:117–127
Pomerleau CS, Brouwer RJ, Jones LT (2000) Weight concerns in women smokers during pregnancy and postpartum. Addict Behav 25:759–767
Silagy C, Mant D, Fowler G, Lodge M (2001) Nicotine replacement therapy for smoking cessation. The Cochrane Library of Systematic Reviews, The Cochrane Library 2. Update Software, Oxford
Thayer R, Peters D, Takahaski P, Birkhead-Flight A (1993) Mood and behaviour following moderate exercise. Person Indiv Diff 14:97–104
Tiffany ST, Drobes DJ (1991) The development and initial validation of a questionnaire on smoking urges. Br J Addict 86:1467–1476
Ussher MH, West R (2003) Interest in nicotine replacement therapy amongst pregnant smokers. Tobacco Control 12:108–109
Ussher MH, West R, Taylor AH, McEwan A (2000) Exercise interventions in smoking cessation. The Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews, The Cochrane Library, 4. Update software, Oxford
Ussher MH, Nunziata P, Cropley M, West R (2001) Acute effect of a short bout of moderate exercise on tobacco withdrawal symptoms and desire to smoke. Psychopharmacology 158:66–72
Ussher M, West R, McEwen A, Taylor A, Steptoe A (2003) Efficacy of exercise counselling as an aid for smoking cessation: a randomised controlled trial. Addiction 98:523–532
Ussher MH, Hibbs N, West R (2004) A survey of pregnant smokers’ interest in different types of smoking cessation support. Patient Education and Counselling (in press)
Watson D, Clark LA, Tellegen A (1988) Development and validation of brief measures of positive and negative affect: The PANAS scales. J Person Soc Psychol 54:1063–1070
West R (1984) Psychology and pharmacology in cigarette withdrawal. J Psychosom Res 25:379–386
West R, Russell M (1985) Pre-abstinence smoke intake and smoking motivation as predictors of severity of cigarette withdrawal symptoms. Psychopharmacology 87:407–415
West R, Schneider N (1987) Craving for cigarettes. Br J Addict 82:407–415
West R, Hajek P, Belcher M (1989) Severity of withdrawal symptoms as a predictor of outcome of an attempt to quit smoking. Psychol Med 19:981–985
West R, McEwen A, Bolling K (1999) Smoking cessation and harm minimisation strategies in the general population. Health Education Authority, London
Whaley M, Woodall T, Kaminsky L, Emmett J (1997) Reliability of perceived exertion during graded exercise testing in apparently healthy adults. J Cardiopulm Rehabil 17:37–42
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Corresponding author
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Daniel, J., Cropley, M., Ussher, M. et al. Acute effects of a short bout of moderate versus light intensity exercise versus inactivity on tobacco withdrawal symptoms in sedentary smokers. Psychopharmacology 174, 320–326 (2004). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00213-003-1762-x
Received:
Accepted:
Published:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00213-003-1762-x