If you want to quit smoking, just do it rather than cutting down gradually

Smokers who go “cold turkey” are more likely to quit smoking than those who try to gradually wean themselves off tobacco, according to research by Oxford University. Nearly 700 smokers who wanted to stop smoking were recruited. They were split into two groups: an “abrupt cessation” group (set a quit day and stopped all smoking on that day) or a “gradual cessation” group (set a quit day but gradually reduced their tobacco use in the two weeks leading up to that date). Both groups had advice and support and access to nicotine patches and nicotine replacement therapy, like nicotine gum or mouth spray. Once quit day had passed, the study participants were assessed weekly for the next four weeks, and after six months. As well as asking them about how they were doing, the researchers measured the amount of carbon monoxide they were breathing out – an objective way to check whether people were actually sticking to their quit plan. At four weeks, 39 per cent of the gradual cessation group had kept off tobacco, compared to 49 per cent of the abrupt cessation group, meaning that the abrupt group were 25 per cent more likely to quit.

If you have a younger sibling, there’s less chance you’ll become obese

Becoming a big brother or big sister before they start primary school may lower a child’s risk of becoming obese, a new study led by the University of Michigan suggests. Researchers analysed 697 children across the United States, and found the birth of a sibling, especially when the child was between about two and four years old, was associated with a healthier body mass index by the time they started school. One possible explanation, the authors speculate, could be that parents may change the way they feed their child once a new sibling is born. With children developing long-lasting eating habits at about three years old, changing dietary habits may have a significant impact. The authors also note that children may engage in more “active play” or less sedentary time in front of screens once a younger sibling is born, contributing to healthier body mass indices. “If the birth of a sibling changes behaviours within a family in ways that protect against obesity, these may be patterns other families can try to create in their own homes,” says senior author Dr Julie Lumeng, a developmental and behavioural paediatrician. “Better understanding the potential connection between a sibling and weight may help health providers and families create new strategies for helping children grow up healthy.”

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