Adherence to low-calorie and low-sugar diets is uniquely associated with distinct facets of appearance/weight-related smoking motivations

• Published in: Journal of behavioral medicine Vol. 43; no. 3; pp. 487 - 492
• Main Authors: Coniglio, Kathryn A., Rosen, Rachel, Burr, Emily K., Farris, Samantha G.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: New York Springer US 01-06-2020; Springer; Springer Nature B.V
• Subjects: Adaptation, Psychological; Adult; Appetite; Body image; Body Mass Index; Body Weight; Caloric Restriction; Causes of; Cigarette smoking; Cigarettes; Complications and side effects; Diet; Dieting; Drug addiction; Eating behavior; Energy Intake; Family Medicine; Female; General Practice; Health aspects; Health Psychology; Humans; Hypocaloric diet; Low-calorie diet; Male; Management; Medicine; Medicine & Public Health; Motivation; Multivariate analysis; Nutrient deficiency; Prevention; Smokers; Smoking; Smoking - psychology; Smoking Cessation; Smoking cessation programs; Sugar; Sugar-free diet; Sugars; Surveys and Questionnaires; Sweet taste; Tobacco Products; Weight gain; United States; Appetite; Eating; Diet; Cigarette smoking; Weight
• ISSN: 0160-7715; 1573-3521
• DOI: 10.1007/s10865-020-00149-y

Smokers report weight and appetite control as motivators to smoking continuance. These concerns are particularly salient for smokers who use cigarettes to suppress appetite and manage weight. Dieting may influence weight, shape, and appetite-related smoking motivation; however, this has not yet been examined. This study tested associations between five diet types and smoking motivation to control weight, shape, and appetite among adult daily cigarette smokers (
N 
= 550). A multivariate analysis was used to test the incremental association between diet types and Smoking-Related Weight and Eating Episodes Test (SWEET) subscales, adjusting for age, body mass index, sex, and cigarette dependence. Smokers who diet (n = 83, 15.1%) reported higher scores on all SWEET subscales compared to smokers not on a diet. Low-calorie dieting was associated with greater smoking motivation to cope with body dissatisfaction, and low-sugar dieting was associated with greater motivation for smoking to prevent withdrawal-related appetite increases. Treatment implications for smoking cessation are discussed.