Benefits of Quitting Smoking Greater than Risks of Weight Gain

A recent study finds that the extra pounds that often go on after you quit smoking are much less of a cardiac threat than continued smoking.

Published: April 8, 2013

If youve ever tried to stop smoking, you know that weight gain can often be an unwanted result. But if youre worried about how those extra pounds will impact your heart health, a recent Swiss study suggests youre still much better off stubbing out those cigarettes.The research, published in the Journal of the American Medical Association, found that middle-aged and older adults who stop smoking were about half as likely as smokers of the same sex and age to have a subsequent cardiovascular event, even though they tended to gain weight.