Smoking Cessation, Weight Gain, Dementia

A study led by Hui Chen>>> of Zhejiang University School of Medicine>>>, published in Neurology (journal) by the American Academy of Neurology>>>, found that quitting smoking is associated with a 16% lower risk of dementia. This benefit increases over time, with risk levels approaching those of never-smokers after about seven years. However, the study highlighted a critical caveat: this cognitive benefit is negated if individuals gain 22 pounds (10 kilograms) or more after quitting. Those who gained 11 pounds or less still showed a reduced dementia risk. The research, which tracked nearly 33,000 middle-aged and older U.S. adults for an average of 10 years using data from the Health and Retirement Study, suggests that while quitting smoking supports long-term brain health, post-cessation weight management is crucial to preserve these benefits. Experts like Dung Trinh>>> and Anup Singh>>> emphasized the importance of combining smoking cessation with healthy weight management, while also noting that modest weight gain should not deter individuals from quitting.