Smokers are less physically active, lack motivation and more likely to suffer from depression

Feb 4 2014

While the results of smoking may be expected to decrease fitness, new research, published in Respirology, has found that smokers are less physically active, lack motivation and are more likely to suffer symptoms of anxiety and depression.

The research, led by Dr. Karina Furlanetto, from Universidade Estadual de Londrina, Brazil, is the first study to show that smokers are less physically active than non-smokers.

60 smokers and 50 non-smokers were asked to wear a pedometer for a minimum of 12 hours per day, over 6 days. The results showed that smokers walked less on a daily basis. When their capacity to take long breaths was tested, their lung function was found to be reduced and this impacted their ability to exercise.

When smokers were asked to rate their own health-related quality of life they reported feeling more tired, and lacked the motivation to change their inactive behavior.

"To our knowledge, this is the first study that has demonstrated a reduction in the objectively measured level of physical activity in daily life of adult smokers compared with non-smokers," said Dr. Furlanetto. "Besides presenting poorer lung function, exercise capacity, quality of life and symptoms of anxiety and depression, smokers also walked less than non-smokers in daily life."

Source: Universidade Estadual de Londrina