Quitting Smoking Is More Difficult for Women Than for Men

Low Smoking Amount and Low Nicotine Dependence but Lower Quit Success Rate... Due to Anxiety and Overweight Concerns

[Asia Economy Senior Reporter Jinsoo Lee] Although women smoke less than men, research shows that women face greater difficulties in quitting smoking than men.

Ingrid Alagbe, a doctoral candidate at Burgundy University in Dijon, France, who led the study, stated in a report submitted to the 2021 European Society of Cardiology (ESC, August 27-30) held online, "This means that tailored smoking cessation intervention services should be provided to female smokers," emphasizing, "A comprehensive and inclusive women-specific smoking cessation program involving psychologists, nutritionists, and exercise prescription experts must be offered."

The study targeted 38,000 local male and female smokers aged 18 and older who used smoking cessation counseling services from 2001 to 2018, of whom 43% were women.

The survey found that the average daily cigarette consumption was 23 for female smokers and 27 for males. The percentage of female smokers with severe nicotine dependence was 56%, compared to 60% for males. However, 55% of male smokers succeeded in quitting, while women recorded a 52% success rate.

Alagbe pointed out, "Although women smoke less and have lower nicotine dependence than men, their smoking cessation success rate is lower," suggesting, "This may be because female smokers experience higher levels of anxiety and depression than men and have greater concerns about overweight or obesity."

Previous studies have already shown that women find it difficult to quit smoking due to fears of weight gain, hormonal changes, and emotional fluctuations.

Both men and women have risk factors for heart disease. High cholesterol is more common in men (33%) than women (30%). Hypertension affects 26% of men and 23% of women, while diabetes affects 13% of men and 10% of women.

However, overweight or obesity is more frequently observed in women (27%) than men (20%). Anxiety and depression are also higher in women (37.5%) compared to men (26.45%).

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.