High Rate of Physical Activity Promotion by German Speaking Smoking Cessation Advisors as an aid for Quitting

Abstract

Objectives: Physical activity (PA) can reduce cigarette cravings and aid quitting but little is known about its promotion during smoking cessation counselling. This study aimed to determine the extent to which smoking cessation advisors promote PA. Methods: Self-report surveys assessing PA promotion within the Transtheoretical Model (TTM) framework, advisors’ own PA levels and demographics were completed by 122 German speaking advisors. Results: 95.9% of advisors reported promoting PA to most smokers and were in the maintenance phase (TTM). Advisors spent an average of 6.4 mins and 11.8 mins per session promoting PA during the longer (7 weekly sessions) and shorter clinics (3 weekly sessions), respectively. Advisors delivering shorter clinics rated PA as more important for smoking cessation. A positive correlation was found between self-reported physical activity and minutes spent promoting PA in advisors using the short form, but no other factors predicted PA promotion. Conclusions: In this study nearly all smoking cessation advisors promoted PA. Advisors using a short-form seem to be aware of the importance of promoting PA despite the limited time-frame of this approach.