The myth that smoking keeps you thin has been debunked. A recent study shows that smoking can increase abdominal fat, putting smokers at greater risk for various ailments.
Smoking doesn't keep you skinny – Photo Shutterstock
Many smokers avoid quitting because of the concern that they will gain extra pounds. A recent study by researchers at the University of Copenhagen has debunked the oft-quoted myth that smoking will help you lose weight, reports Euronews.
What's more, both starting and quitting smoking can increase belly fat.
The research looked at one and a half million Europeans who smoked and found that smoking actually increases abdominal fat.
Danish scientists have found that smoking increases visceral fat – the unhealthy fat deep in the abdomen that is linked to a higher risk of heart disease, diabetes, stroke and dementia. They came to this conclusion after analyzing genetic data on smoking and abdominal obesity. To ensure that any relationship they observed between smoking and abdominal fat was directly related to smoking and not other influences, they took into account factors such as alcohol consumption and socioeconomic status.
Dr. Germán Carrasquilla, lead author of the study, said the researchers' discovery of a causal relationship disproved “the simplistic notion” that smoking keeps smokers thin.
“These findings challenge the common belief that smoking universally leads to weight loss, and carries other health risks, including an increased risk of abdominal obesity or abdominal fat“, he said.
“It is important to note that quitting smoking has numerous health benefits beyond potential changes in body fat distribution. So it's not just about body fat in the abdomen”Carrasquilla said.
He noted that his study reinforces well-known research showing that smoking is harmful.
“People who may fear quitting because of weight gain may find these findings motivating to quit. Because smoking increases this problematic internal fat, which is a risk factor for many diseases such as diabetes, cardiovascular disease and metabolic diseases“, adds the researcher.
