Move to quit: Exercise boosts smoking quit rates
· Medical Xpressedited by Sadie Harley, reviewed by Andrew Zinin
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A pack-a-day smoker can spend around $14,000 a year on cigarettes, yet despite the financial and health costs, quitting remains one of the most difficult changes many people will ever attempt.
Now, new research from Adelaide University shows that exercise can help people quit smoking by reducing cigarette consumption, easing cravings and improving their chances of quitting. The paper is published in the Journal of Sport and Health Science.
Researchers found that people taking part in exercise programs were 15% more likely to achieve continuous abstinence and 21% more likely to report not smoking over a seven-day period, compared with control groups.
They also found that exercise could reduce cigarette consumption by two cigarettes per day and that a single bout of exercise immediately reduced cigarette cravings for up to 30 minutes after exercise.
The systematic review and meta-analysis examined 59 randomized controlled trials involving more than 9,000 participants, exploring the effects of both single bouts of exercise and long-term exercise programs on smoking cessation, cravings, withdrawal symptoms and mood.
Globally, tobacco smoking remains the leading preventable cause of premature morbidity and mortality, accounting for about 7 million deaths, including an estimated 1.6 million non-smokers who are exposed to second-hand smoke.
Around the world, e-cigarette use has now reached more than 100 million people.
The researchers say exercise should be viewed as an additional tool that can be used alongside established smoking cessation support.
Lead researcher Ben Singh said the findings provide smokers with a practical, low-cost tool that can support their quitting journey.
"Quitting smoking is one of the best things a person can do for their health, but it's also one of the hardest," Singh said.
"Many smokers want to quit, but the current approaches don't work for everyone. That's why we need more strategies that people can incorporate into their daily lives at little or no cost.
"Something as simple as regular exercise can make a meaningful difference to people trying to quit, helping them manage cravings, smoke less and improve their chances of quitting."
While smoking rates have reduced over the past two decades, demand for e-cigarettes and heated-tobacco products has risen, targeting the younger generation.
Today, 80% of the 1.3 billion tobacco users worldwide live in low- and middle-income countries. In contrast, vaping has risen across many OECD countries.
Senior researcher Adelaide University's Carol Maher said exercise could be used strategically to ward off tobacco cravings.
"Quitting smoking does not have to begin and end with willpower alone," Maher said.
"Cravings can be difficult to manage, but they often pass. Our review found that even a single bout of exercise can reduce cravings for up to 30 minutes, which may help people get through some of the hardest moments of a quit attempt.
"Exercise should not replace evidence-based quit supports such as counseling and smoking cessation medication, but it may be a practical, low-cost strategy that people can use alongside them."
The researchers say the next step is to test how exercise can be built into real-world quit programs, including digital, community and clinical services, and to examine whether it can also support people trying to quit vaping, where evidence is currently lacking.
More information
Ben Singh et al, Exercise-based interventions for smoking cessation: A systematic review and meta-analysis, Journal of Sport and Health Science (2026). DOI: 10.1016/j.jshs.2026.101138
Key medical concepts
Exercisesmoking cessation therapy
Clinical categories
Preventive medicineFitness & Physical activityHealthy livingCommon illnesses & Prevention Provided by University of Adelaide Who's behind this story?
Sadie Harley
BSc Life Sciences & Ecology. Microbiology lab background with pharmaceutical news experience in oil, gas, and renewable industries. Full profile →
Andrew Zinin
Master's in physics with research experience. Long-time science news enthusiast. Plays key role in Science X's editorial success. Full profile →
Citation: Move to quit: Exercise boosts smoking quit rates (2026, July 2) retrieved 2 July 2026 from https://medicalxpress.com/news/2026-07-boosts.html This document is subject to copyright. Apart from any fair dealing for the purpose of private study or research, no part may be reproduced without the written permission. The content is provided for information purposes only.