[gap height=”15″]
People who smoke already face a greater risk of illnesses and early death, and a new study suggests their diets aren’t doing their health any favors either.
[gap height=”15″]
The researchers found that compared to ex-smokers and people who never smoked, tobacco users have diets with a much higher energy density. Smokers consume about 200 more calories a day, despite eating significantly smaller portions.
[gap height=”15″]
Energy density measures the calories in a food compared to its volume. A food that is higher in energy density has more calories for smaller amounts of food. A cookie, for example, is more energy dense than a carrot.
[gap height=”15″]
Public health guidelines, including the 2015 Dietary Guidelines for Americans, recommend eating foods that are lower in energy density to help prevent obesity. Lower energy density diets also tend to be healthier, with more fruits and vegetables, the researchers noted.
[gap height=”15″]
“Along with smoking, poor diet is in the top three modifiable risk factors for cardiovascular disease,” the study authors wrote. “These findings suggest that smoking status is associated with poor diet quality,” they concluded.
[gap height=”15″]
The research was led by R. Ross MacLean of Yale University.
For the study, MacLean’s team reviewed data from nearly 5,300 U.S. adults who took part in a nationally representative survey that asked about diet and smoking behaviors.
[gap height=”15″]
People who never smoked ate around 1.79 calories for every gram of food. Former smokers consumed about 1.84 calories for every gram eaten. For daily smokers, that number was 2.02 calories per gram, the findings showed.
[gap height=”15″]
Registered dietitian Samantha Heller said she doesn’t think smokers are making a conscious decision to eat poorly.
[gap height=”15″]
“Smokers are probably unaware that their taste and smell are diminished. They’re unaware how dulled these senses have become, and that can lead to an increase in seeking foods you feel are more flavorful. And, the way foods are formulated – sugar, fat and salt – are very attractive tastes, and they’re energy dense,” Heller explained.
[gap height=”15″]
So, should smokers try to eat healthier foods?
[gap height=”15″]
“It’s always a good idea to try to improve the quality of your diet, especially by eating more plant-based foods. But, if you’re a smoker, it may be particularly difficult because healthy foods might not taste as good to you,” she said.
[gap height=”15″]
Researchers also pointed out that changing your diet when you try to quit smoking can help prevent weight gain.
[gap height=”15″]
Patricia Folan, director of the Center for Tobacco Control for Northwell Health in Great Neck, N.Y., said weight gain is a concern for people who are trying to give up tobacco.
[gap height=”15″]
“At least 50 percent say fear of weight gain has been one of their obstacles to quitting. We address weight management during our cessation programs, but being able to offer a more targeted diet plan would be helpful, given the info from this study,” Folan said.
[gap height=”15″]
Heller said smoking cessation should definitely be the first target. “Quitting smoking is one of the best things you can do for yourself, and you can redirect that intense energy you focused on smoking into healthier eating and exercise,” she suggested.
[gap height=”15″]
And, once you quit smoking, Heller said, you’re in for a pleasant surprise – your senses of taste and smell will start to recover. Foods you once found palatable may start to taste too salty or greasy. “Suddenly, you’ll be able to really taste your food,” she said.
[gap height=”15″]
The study was published online April 3 in BMC Public Health.
[gap height=”15″]
Once you quit smoking, you’re in for a pleasant surprise – your senses of taste and smell will start to recover.
