Many smokers do gain weight while quitting. In fact weight gain is a reason for some people not wanting to quit smoking. Weight gain is one of the main Quit smoking side effects .
There are many reasons for the low appetite in smokers. Smoking suppresses appetite for certain foods and hence smokers generally weigh less. So when one stops smoking appetite increases and one tends to eat more and gain weight.
Another reason is that smoking increases the smoker’s metabolism and helps in burning more calories. Hence lesser calories get converted into fat.
Smoking is also known to affect digestion. It has been proved that food is retained in the stomachs of smokers for a longer time than that of non-smokers. This is another reason for the lower appetite in smokers.
Smoking is also seen as a substitute activity for eating by smokers. Hence their intake reduces.
The process of smoking increases the passage of food through the lower digestive tract by increasing the propulsive action of the colon. Thus some food gets swept through even before all the nutrients are absorbed.
Smokers prefer to mark the end of the meal with a cigarette rather than another helping of food or dessert.
Research shows that genetics may also contribute to weight gain after quitting smoking. Lipoprotein lipase is an enzyme which regulates fat storage. This enzyme liberates free fatty acids that can be stored by the fat cells by breaking down circulating triglycerides. High activity of this enzyme increases the efficiency of fat storage and hence weight gain. The low or high activity of lipoprotein lipase depends on genetic differences.
There are many reasons for the low appetite in smokers. Smoking suppresses appetite for certain foods and hence smokers generally weigh less. So when one stops smoking appetite increases and one tends to eat more and gain weight.
Another reason is that smoking increases the smoker’s metabolism and helps in burning more calories. Hence lesser calories get converted into fat.
Smoking is also known to affect digestion. It has been proved that food is retained in the stomachs of smokers for a longer time than that of non-smokers. This is another reason for the lower appetite in smokers.
Smoking is also seen as a substitute activity for eating by smokers. Hence their intake reduces.
The process of smoking increases the passage of food through the lower digestive tract by increasing the propulsive action of the colon. Thus some food gets swept through even before all the nutrients are absorbed.
Smokers prefer to mark the end of the meal with a cigarette rather than another helping of food or dessert.
Research shows that genetics may also contribute to weight gain after quitting smoking. Lipoprotein lipase is an enzyme which regulates fat storage. This enzyme liberates free fatty acids that can be stored by the fat cells by breaking down circulating triglycerides. High activity of this enzyme increases the efficiency of fat storage and hence weight gain. The low or high activity of lipoprotein lipase depends on genetic differences.