Weight gain and incident obesity among male snus users

Jenny Hansson,Cecilia Magnusson,Maria-Pia Hergens,Maria Rosaria Galanti

doi:10.1186/1471-2458-11-371

Jenny Hansson, Cecilia Magnusson + Show 2 more

Open Access

https://doi.org/10.1186/1471-2458-11-371

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Abstract

BackgroundSnus is a moist smokeless tobacco product which has recently reached beyond its original market of Scandinavia. Snus is now being increasingly used in both the United States and South Africa. The effect of snus use on weight is unknown. This study has therefore investigated the relationship between the use of snus, weight gain (≥5%) and the incidence of obesity (body mass index ≥30 kg/m2).MethodsThe study participants (n = 9,954 males living in Stockholm County, Sweden) were recruited in 2002 and reassessed in 2007. Tobacco use was categorized according to information obtained in both the baseline and follow-up surveys. Outcomes were assessed by comparing self-reported weight and body mass index between the baseline and follow-up surveys.ResultsStable current snus use (according to both surveys), compared to never having used any kind of tobacco, seemed to be associated with both weight gain (odds ratio = 1.31, 95% confidence interval: 1.04-1.65) and incident obesity (odds ratio = 1.93, 95% confidence interval: 1.13-3.30) after adjustment for age, baseline weight, alcohol consumption, physical activity, education, consumption of fruit and berries, and the frequency of having breakfast. No associations with incident obesity or weight gain were seen for stable former users of snus (according to both surveys) or among men who quit or began using snus during follow-up.ConclusionsThese data suggest that the use of snus is moderately associated with weight gain and incident obesity among men.

Highlights

Snus is a moist smokeless tobacco product which has recently reached beyond its original market of Scandinavia
With regard to snus use, one prospective study reported an association with the onset of obesity [8] while another failed to detect any differences in weight gain between snus users and nontobacco users [9]
To contribute to an understanding of the potential role of snus use on changes in body weight, we studied the association between the use of snus and weight gain (≥ 5%) as well as incidence of obesity (BMI ≥30 kg/m2) during a five year follow-up among men in a population-based cohort study set in Stockholm County

Summary

Introduction

A moist smokeless tobacco product used orally, is receiving growing attention in public health research and debate This is probably due to the increasing use of the product and the ban on smoking in public areas. Snus has historically been used mainly by men in Sweden, and to some extent in other Scandinavian countries [1] It has reached new markets, for example the United States and South Africa [2]. Smoking may affect the body fat distribution and it is associated with abdominal obesity [6,7], impaired glucose tolerance and insulin resistance [5,6,7] It is unclear whether the metabolic effects are due to nicotine or to other constituents in tobacco smoke [6]. Results of cross-sectional studies of BMI [4,9,10,11,12,13,14,15] and abdominal obesity are conflicting [10,15]

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