Key result
Compared with former smokers, current smokers were significantly less likely to believe that smoking cessation would be much better for their general health (20.6% vs 66.4%) after bariatric surgery.
Why the study?
Smoking cessation is likely to improve smoking-related comorbidities and decrease postoperative complications after bariatric surgery, but smoking behaviour and thoughts about cessation in this population required evaluation.
Cross-Sectional (n=609)
No
A considerable proportion of bariatric surgery patients continue to smoke postoperatively and have less awareness of the health benefits of cessation, highlighting the need for targeted cessation strategies.
Persistent post-bariatric smoking in 17% of patients warrants sustained cessation support; leaves open whether targeted belief interventions improve abstinence.
PURPOSE: Currently, 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 METHODS: A 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. RESULTS: Six 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. CONCLUSION: Despite 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.
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Wolvers et al. (2020) conducted a cross-sectional in Bariatric surgery (n=609). Current smoking vs. Former smoking was evaluated on Belief that smoking cessation is "much better" for general health (p=<0.001). Compared with former smokers, current smokers were significantly less likely to believe that smoking cessation would be much better for their general health (20.6% vs 66.4%) after bariatric surgery.
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