Exercise facilitates smoking cessation indirectly via improvements in smoking-specific self-efficacy: Prospective cohort study among a national sample of young smokers

Abstract Objective The purpose of this study was to examine whether exercise is associated with 2-year follow-up smoking status through its influence on smoking-specific self-efficacy. Methods Longitudinal data from the 2003–2005 National Youth Smoking Cessation Survey were used, including 1,228 par...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Preventive medicine 2015-12, Vol.81, p.63-66
Main Authors: Loprinzi, Paul D, Wolfe, Christy D, Walker, Jerome F
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Adolescent
Confidence
Exercise - physiology
Exercise - psychology
Female
Humans
Internal Medicine
Male
Nicotine dependence
Physical activity
Prospective Studies
Self Efficacy
Smoking - psychology
Smoking Cessation - psychology
Surveys and Questionnaires
Tobacco Use Disorder - psychology
Young Adult
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Summary:Abstract Objective The purpose of this study was to examine whether exercise is associated with 2-year follow-up smoking status through its influence on smoking-specific self-efficacy. Methods Longitudinal data from the 2003–2005 National Youth Smoking Cessation Survey were used, including 1,228 participants (16–24 years). A questionnaire was used to examine baseline exercise levels, baseline smoking-specific self-efficacy, follow-up smoking status, and the covariates. Results Baseline exercise was associated with baseline self-efficacy ( β = 0.04, p < 0.001) after adjusting for age category, sex, race–ethnicity, education, and nicotine dependence. Baseline self-efficacy, in turn, was associated with 2-year smoking status ( β = 0.23, p < 0.001) after adjustments. There was no adjusted direct effect of baseline exercise on 2-year smoking status ( β = 0.001, p = 0.95); however, the adjusted indirect effect of baseline self-efficacy on the relationship between exercise and 2-year smoking status was significant ( β = 0.008, bootstrapped lower and upper CI: 0.002–0.02; p < 0.05). The mediation ratio was 0.837, which indicates that smoking-specific self-efficacy mediates 84% of the total effect of exercise on smoking status. Conclusions Among daily smokers, exercise may help to facilitate smoking cessation via exercise-induced increases in smoking-specific self-efficacy.
ISSN:0091-7435
1096-0260
DOI:10.1016/j.ypmed.2015.08.011