Quitting smoking makes you fat? Doctor: It is reasonable to recover 2-3 kg from morbidly thin

Many addicts refuse to quit smoking because "quitting smoking will make you fat." Doctors clarify that this is a myth. In fact, smoking damages the taste buds, reduces the amount of oxygen carried by red blood cells, and abnormally accelerates the metabolic rate, leading to morbid weight loss. After quitting smoking, the weight returns to normal levels. It is reasonable to gain 2 to 3 kilograms, and rarely exceeds 5 kilograms.

Dr. Lai Chih-kuan (2nd from right), secretary general of the Taiwan Medical Alliance for Tobacco Control, said that smoking causes morbid weight loss, and it is reasonable to gain 2 to 3 kilograms after quitting smoking. (Photography by Zhang Yawen)

Dr. Lai Chih-kuan, secretary general of the Taiwan Medical Alliance for Tobacco Control, said that many smokers who quit smoking reported that "they always want to eat when they don't smoke" and "food tastes better than before." He said this is normal because the harmful substances in tobacco products can damage the taste buds and sense of smell, so addicts often need to eat strong-flavored food to feel the flavor, and usually their food intake will decrease. This is one of the reasons why smokers are thinner.

But in fact, this is morbid thinness. Dr. Lai Zhiguan said that the high concentration of carbon monoxide in the body of smokers will make the red blood cells that transport nutrients unable to carry enough nutrients. Therefore, the nutrients eaten cannot be smoothly delivered to various parts of the body for use. In addition, the harmful substances in tobacco products will abnormally accelerate the body's metabolic rate. Therefore, in addition to the risk of cancer, it is not good for the health of the whole body in the long run.

Dr. Lai Zhiguan pointed out that the lost sense of taste and smell can be gradually restored after quitting smoking, the body's absorption of nutrients will be more normal, and the weight will naturally recover. Generally speaking, it is reasonable to gain 2 to 3 kilograms within 3 months. Although some people may question it, isn't getting fat bad for health? But he always reminds smokers who quit smoking that the burden that regaining weight may put on the body is insignificant compared to the harm caused by tobacco, and if they continue to gain weight, they should control their weight through diet and exercise instead of blaming it all on quitting smoking.

Nutritionist Xie Yifang suggests that if you want to quit smoking without gaining too much weight, you should start with a diet that includes more fruits and vegetables. She has found that withdrawal symptoms are particularly likely to occur in the first week of quitting smoking, so you should eat more fruits and vegetables containing vitamins A, B, and C, such as tomatoes and guava. These can not only help relieve anxiety but also remove bad breath. In addition, if you have a psychological dependence on smoking, you can prepare more vegetable sticks to chew to replace the oral and manual desires developed from smoking.

The Tung Foundation has launched a smoking cessation menu. If people want to quit smoking but don’t want to gain too much weight, they should start with a diet that includes more fruits and vegetables. (Photography by Zhang Yawen)

The Tung Foundation, which organizes the "Quit Smoking and Win" competition, has planned a smoking cessation menu based on different stages of smoking cessation. The public can download it from the Chinese smoking cessation website, or write to the Tung Foundation with a $10 stamp to obtain a thousand smoking cessation menu manuals.