Abstract
PurposeCurrently, bariatric surgery is the most effective intervention for treating morbid obesity and its complications. Smoking cessation is likely to improve smoking-related comorbidities and decrease postoperative complications. This study evaluated the smoking behaviour and thoughts about smoking cessation of patients more than 18 months after bariatric surgery.Materials and MethodsA cross-sectional study was performed in patients who underwent bariatric surgery from July 2012 to December 2013. A questionnaire was used to evaluate smoking status, thoughts about the health benefits of cessation and characteristics of previous quit attempts in current and former smokers. Finally, actual bariatric surgery outcomes were evaluated in current, former and never smokers.ResultsSix hundred nine patients (response rate 52.0%) were included. Of them, 101 (16.6%) patients were current smokers, 239 (39.2%) former smokers and 269 (44.2%) patients were lifetime never smokers. Compared with former smokers, current smokers were less aware of the beneficial effects of smoking cessation on their general health; 66.4% of the former smokers thought smoking cessation would be much better for general health, compared with 20.6% of current smokers. Total weight loss was 2.8% higher in current smokers compared with former smokers. Actual long-term bariatric surgery outcomes were not significantly different between the groups.ConclusionDespite advice to quit smoking and temporary quitting before surgery, a considerable group of bariatric surgery patients continues smoking after surgery. These patients were less aware of the beneficial effects of smoking cessation. This study emphasizes the need for better strategies to increase the number of successful cessations.
Highlights
Bariatric surgery is the most effective intervention for treating morbid obesity and obesity-related complications
Several studies have shown that smoking cessation is associated with improved smoking-related comorbidities and decreases the incidence of postoperative complications [4, 5, 8,9,10,11]
Examples are the concern of weight gain after smoking cessation, inadequate beliefs about the health consequences of smoking, doubts about the benefits of cessation, previous unsuccessful attempts and the experienced lack of support [12,13,14,15,16,17,18,19]
Summary
Bariatric surgery is the most effective intervention for treating morbid obesity and obesity-related complications. It contributes to long-term weight loss, improvements in comorbidities and reduction in mortality [1,2,3]. Smoking is suggested to be a modifiable preoperative risk factor that significantly increases the incidence of postoperative morbidity and mortality in bariatric surgery [4,5,6,7]. Several studies have shown that smoking cessation is associated with improved smoking-related comorbidities and decreases the incidence of postoperative complications [4, 5, 8,9,10,11]. Examples are the concern of weight gain after smoking cessation, inadequate beliefs about the health consequences of smoking, doubts about the benefits of cessation, previous unsuccessful attempts and the experienced lack of support [12,13,14,15,16,17,18,19]
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