People who are trying to quit smoking should take a quick walk when they feel like lighting up, British researchers say. In a recent review of studies, they found that even a few minutes of physical activity can help reduce cigarette cravings and withdrawal symptoms.

The team from the University of Exeter looked at 14 studies that examined the effect of exercise on cigarette cravings, withdrawal symptoms, mood, or smoking behavior among smokers who were trying to quit, either permanently or temporarily. Their results were published in a recent issue of the journal Addiction.

Exercise significantly reduced cigarette cravings, they found, even when it was a low-intensity activity like isometrics (a type of strength training that involves pushing or pulling against an immovable object) or stretching, and even when people did only 5 minutes of activity.

Longer periods of more intense exercise -- a brisk 15-minute walk, for instance -- held cravings at bay for as long as 50 minutes. Exercise also helped lessen the severity of withdrawal symptoms including stress, anxiety, tension, poor concentration, irritability, and restlessness.

Lead researcher Adrian Taylor, PhD, says exercise could be an alternative to snacking for many smokers who are trying to quit, especially since the amount of time and activity required to cut cravings is minimal.

"People tend to think of exercise as a visit to the gym, or requiring the need to put on specific clothing, or to be done on a set number of days a week, or only possible on weekends when time is less of a problem," but that is not necessarily true, says Taylor, an associate professor in exercise and health psychology at Exeter.

The key is simply to do something active when the urge to smoke strikes. "If it takes an average of 6 minutes to smoke a cigarette, then doing a brisk walk for this period may be sufficient to help remove the urge," he says.

Doctors should encourage their patients to use exercise as a tool when they're trying to quit smoking, he adds.

"General practitioners should be asking patients to think about the times and situations they really want a cigarette and advise them to seek to incorporate short bouts of exercise around these," says Taylor.

Tom Glynn, PhD, director of cancer science and trends and director of international tobacco programs for the American Cancer Society, agrees that exercise should be a part of every smoker's quitting plan. But it shouldn't be the only quitting tool doctors and patients discuss, he cautions.

Several types of cessation aids have been shown to help smokers quit, including nicotine replacement therapy, antidepressants and other medications, and counseling.

To date, no studies have compared exercise to medications in terms of their effectiveness at helping smokers quit, but Taylor says his study suggests they are comparable methods. And new tools are always needed.

"What we do know is that success rates for quitting (after 1 year) using even the best aids and support available are not much more than 25%, so there is scope for finding new aids," he says.

And for smokers who cannot take medication, exercise is an especially realistic and valuable option, he points out.

"Giving a quitter an understanding of the options available -- and exercise is now clearly one -- is important," Taylor says. "Exercise has many other benefits and no side effects. It needs to be promoted as a cheap and convenient, serious option as a smoking cessation aid."

Citation:"The acute effects of exercise on cigarette cravings, withdrawal symptoms, affect and smoking behaviour: a systematic review." Published in the April 2007 Addiction (Vol. 102, No. 4: 534-543). First author: Adrian H. Taylor, PhD.