Abstract
The primary aim of this study was to assess the effectiveness of a short bout (10 min) of moderate-intensity exercise to reduce withdrawal symptomatology, craving and negative affect; while the secondary aim was to assess how the effectiveness of a short bout of moderate exercise can be modulated by the perception of intensity in physically active and low-activity smokers. Fifty low-activity and physically active smokers were recruited (24 male and 26 female) and randomized in three different conditions. Prescribed (objective) moderate intensity (OBJ) and perceived moderate intensity (PER), and passive waiting (PW). After the intervention (T3), smokers reported less desire to smoke in the PER (p < 0.001) and OBJ (p < 0.001) conditions, relative to the PW condition. At T3 smokers in the PER condition reported less negative affect than smokers in the PW condition relative to the baseline (T1) (p < 0.007). Further, smokers in the PER condition reported less negative affect than smokers in the PW condition (p < 0.048). Physically active (PA) smokers perceived less exertion than low-activity (LA) smokers, and the effects were stronger in the PER condition relative to OBJ. Generally, our results suggest that a short bout of moderate exercise helps both LA and PA smokers. These findings provided a novel insight into the psychological mechanisms that affect the efficacy of the exercise in smoking cessation and suggest that exercise should be tailored according to individual perception of intensity.
Highlights
Tobacco cigarette smoking is the leading cause of premature death, accounting for more than seven million deaths each year [1,2]
This study provides suggestions for the development of more effective interventions based on the introduction of regular physical exercise to support tobacco cigarette smokers
Our results suggested that a key strategy might be the identification of mechanisms that might improve exercise engagement, such as intensity of exercise and participants’ sense of autonomy [69]; the effect of exercise is increased when smokers perceive exercise to be an autonomous choice
Summary
Tobacco cigarette smoking is the leading cause of premature death, accounting for more than seven million deaths each year [1,2]. Van Rensburg and colleagues (2013) observed that aerobic exercise was associated with increased time to light the cigarette after a period of nicotine deprivation, as well as reducing subjective and neural response to cigarette cues [12,13]. Relaxing activities such as yoga (30 min), moderate walking (30 min) and cycling (10 min) are associated with improvements in positive affect and reductions in negative affect [3,14,15].
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