If You Must Smoke, at Least Exercise

People who smoke are at risk for developing decreased lung function as well as chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). COPD is a combination of chronic bronchitis and emphysema (In the latter the small air sacs in the lungs collapse together and reduce the oxygen-exchange capability); it’s the fourth leading cause of death in the USA, and 80% - 90% of cases are caused by smoking. Regular physical activity can slow the progressive development of established COPD, but a new study has shown that it can also reduce the risk of getting COPD in smokers.

Spanish researchers, writing in the American Journal of Respiratory & Critical Care Medicine, report results from the Copenhagen City Heart Study. Over 6,750 subjects were assessed (respiratory function, smoking, physical activity) and then followed for 10 years. The changes in respiratory function were characterized by reductions in forced expiratory volume over 1 second (FEV₁) and forced vital capacity (FVC), with the ratio of FEV₁ over FVC used to determine the presence of COPD.

Smokers with high or moderate regular physical activity were 23% less likely to develop COPD in the 10-year period, compared to those with low physical activity. What’s important about this finding is that there were no known modifiable factors (apart from smoking) that could reduce lung function decline over time. Now there is one – exercise! So if you really can’t stop smoking, at least go to the gym regularly!