Washington, August 25: The findings of a new study done on more than 35,000 smokers found that even though women smoke fewer cigarettes than men but they are less likely to quit. The research was recently presented at ESC Congress 2021.

Study author Ms. Ingrid Allagbe, a PhD student at the University of Burgundy, Dijon, France said: "In our study, women who used smoking cessation services had higher rates of overweight or obesity, depression, and anxiety compared to men and kicked the habit less often. Our findings highlight the need to provide smoking cessation interventions tailored to the needs of women." Also Read | COVID-19 Vaccine Response Low for Some People with Weak Immune System: Study.

This study compared characteristics and abstinence rates of men and women visiting smoking cessation services between 2001 and 2018 in France. Data were obtained from the nationwide database CDT-net. The study enrolled smokers aged 18 and older with at least one additional risk factor for cardiovascular disease: overweight/obese (body mass index [BMI] 25 kg/m2 or above); high cholesterol; diabetes; high blood pressure; history of stroke, heart attack or angina. Also Read | Breast Milk of Vaccinated Mothers Contains Antibodies That Fight COVID-19: Study.

A nicotine dependence scale was used to classify participants as having mild, moderate, or severe dependence. Smoking abstinence (at least 28 consecutive days) was self-reported and confirmed by measurement of exhaled carbon monoxide less than 10 parts per million (ppm).

Participants provided information on their age, education level, other conditions including diabetes and respiratory illnesses, and number of cigarettes smoked each day. Height and weight were measured. Participants were classified as having anxiety and depression symptoms or not according to their medical history, use of anti-anxiety medication or antidepressants, and the Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale (HADS).

A total of 37,949 smokers were included in the study, of whom 16,492 (43.5 per cent) were women. The average age of women in the study was 48 years, while the average age of men was 51 years.

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