Hormonal
Current cigarette smoking is associated with a metabolically adverse fat distribution profile characterized by higher central adiposity (waist circumference, waist-hip ratio) and lower peripheral adiposity (hip circumference) compared to never smokers, even after adjusting for BMI and lifestyle confounders.
If you smoke, do not rely on it for weight management. While you might weigh less than a non-smoker, your body stores fat in a more dangerous pattern around your waist rather than your hips. This increases your risk for metabolic issues regardless of your BMI. Quitting smoking is the best step for long-term health, even if it leads to some weight gain, as it helps normalize fat distribution over time.
Although smokers have lower mean BMI compared with nonsmokers, they have a more metabolically adverse fat distribution profile, with higher central adiposity.
Why this rating
Large population-based cohort (n=21,828) with extensive covariate adjustment, though cross-sectional design limits causal inference.
Source
Cigarette Smoking and Fat Distribution in 21, 828 British Men and Women: A Population‐based Study
Dexter Canoy et al. · Obesity Research · 2005
DOI 10.1038/oby.2005.177
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