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Urge Coping Mediates the Relationship Between Physical Activity and Smoking Outcomes in a Sample of Premenopausal Women Intending to Quit Smoking

Year: 2025

Type: article

Abstract: INTRODUCTION: Physical activity (PA), urge coping, and menstrual phase may all influence combustible cigarette smoking cessation yet have never been examined concurrently. Therefore, we examined the effects of PA and urge coping on smoking outcomes among women who were randomly assigned to quit smoking based on their menstrual phase. AIMS AND METHODS: Participants were randomized to quit smoking during the follicular menstrual phase (FP; quit date set 6-8 days post onset of menses) or to standard-of-care condition (SC; no menstrual timing of quit date). Smoking-related outcomes at the end of treatment (EOT; ie, 7-day abstinence and cigarettes/day) were regressed on baseline levels of PA stratified by randomization. Mediation analysis examined whether urge coping mediated the relationship between PA and smoking outcomes. RESULTS: Participants (FP: n = 58, SC: n = 60) were, on average, 33.4 years old and smoked 13.8 cigarettes/day at baseline. Total volume of PA was significantly associated with better urge coping (β = .09, 95% CI [0.001, 0.18], p = .05). Urge coping was associated with fewer cigarettes/day at EOT (β = -.37, 95% CI [-0.57, -0.18], p < .001) and greater likelihood of smoking abstinence (β = .28, 95% CI [0.13, 0.42], p < .001). When PA was analyzed by intensity, vigorous PA, but not walking or moderate PA, significantly predicted better urge coping (β = .28, 95% CI [0.06, 0.49], p = .01) and, in turn, greater likelihood of smoking abstinence (β = .50, 95% CI [0.13, 0.87], p = .01). CONCLUSIONS: Vigorous PA may be an effective strategy to support urge coping and smoking cessation in premenopausal women. IMPLICATIONS: This study provides evidence that vigorous-intensity PA, but not walking or moderate PA, may play a significant role in improving urge coping, reducing smoking, and improving the likelihood of successful smoking cessation among women of reproductive age, regardless of menstrual timing. Findings did not vary between those who were randomized to quit smoking during the FP versus those who quit regardless of menstrual cycle timing. Findings suggest that incorporating PA in smoking cessation programs in a sequential behavioral change approach (ie, focusing on adopting vigorous PA before setting a quit day) may be beneficial. REGISTRATION: NCT03908320.

Source: Nicotine & Tobacco Research

DOI: 10.1093/ntr/ntaf081

Authors: Arushi M Chalke, Linnea B Linde-Krieger, Alicia M Allen, Uma S Nair

Institutions: University of Arizona, University of South Florida

Language: English

Topic: Smoking Behavior and Cessation

Subfield: Physiology

Field: Medicine

Domain: Health Sciences

SDG: Good health and well-being

Open Access status: green

Funders: National Institutes of Health, National Institute on Drug Abuse, National Center for Advancing Translational Sciences