Investigating the effect of solvent vapours on crystallinity, phase, and optical, morphological and structural properties of organolead halide perovskite films.

A comprehensive study regarding the effect of different solvent vapours on organolead halide perovskite properties is lacking. In the present work, the impact of exposing CH3NH3PbI3 films to the vapours of commonly available solvents has been studied. The interaction with perovskite has been correlated to solvent properties like dielectric constant, molecular dipole moment, Gutmann donor number and boiling point. Changes in the crystallinity, phase, optical absorption, morphologies at both nanometer and micrometer scale, functional groups and structures were studied using X-ray diffraction, UV-visible absorption, FE-SEM, FTIR and Raman spectroscopies. Among the aprotic solvents DMSO and DMF vapours deteriorate the crystallinity, phase, and optical, morphological and structural properties of the perovskite films in a very short time, but due to the difference in solvent property values acetone affects the perovskite properties differently. Polar protic 2-propanol and water vapours moderately affect the perovskite properties. However 2-propanol can solvate the organic cation CH3NH3 + more efficiently as compared to water and a considerable difference was found in the film properties especially the morphology at the nanoscale. Nonpolar chlorobenzene vapour minutely affects the perovskite morphology but toluene was found to enhance perovskite crystallinity. Solvent properties can be effectively used to interpret the coordination ability of a solvent. The present study can be immensely useful in understanding the effects of different solvent vapours and also their use for post-deposition processing (like solvent vapour annealing) to improve their properties.

The Association of Point-of-Sale E-cigarette Advertising with Socio-Demographic Characteristics of Neighborhoods.

Electronic cigarettes (e-cigarettes) marketing expenditure is skyrocketing in the United States. However, little is understood about the geographic and socio-demographic patterns of e-cigarette advertising. We examined the associations between point-of-sale (POS) e-cigarette advertising and neighborhood socio-demographic characteristics in the Omaha Metropolitan Area of Nebraska. In 2014, fieldworkers collected comprehensive POS e-cigarette advertising data from all stores that sell tobacco (n = 463) in the Omaha Metropolitan Area. We used Geographic Information Systems to map POS e-cigarette advertisement density for the entire study area. Linear regression was used to examine the association between socio-demographic factors and POS e-cigarette advertising density. E-cigarette advertising density exhibited an obviously uneven geographic pattern in Omaha. Higher level of POS e-cigarette advertising was significantly related to lower median household income, higher percentage of Hispanics, and higher percentage of young adults. However, after adjusting for covariates, only median household income remained significantly associated with POS e-cigarette advertising. We found geographic, socioeconomic, and racial and ethnic disparities in exposure to POS e-cigarette advertising in Omaha, Nebraska. Future studies are needed to understand how these disparities influence e-cigarette adoption by different social groups and how to use such information to inform e-cigarette prevention strategies.

Descriptive and injunctive norms of waterpipe smoking among college students.

INTRODUCTION: Smoking tobacco via a waterpipe (WP) is on the rise, particularly among college students. One reason for this may be normative perceptions of WP tobacco smoking (WTS) among this population. The current study examined the perceived and actual descriptive and injunctive norms of WTS among a college student sample. METHODS: Participants were 894 college students enrolled at a large, Midwestern university. Participants completed measures of WTS frequency and quantity and perceived/actual descriptive and injunctive norms of WTS. RESULTS: Over one-third of the sample reported ever trying WTS, while only 2% reported current (past month) use. When comparing ever and never WP smokers, ever smokers reported greater perceived peer approval of WTS. Both males and females overestimated WTS frequency of same-sex students at their university. DISCUSSION: The current study is one of the first to investigate descriptive and injunctive norms of WTS among college students. Students who report WTS are more likely to overestimate descriptive norms of WTS among their peers, suggesting corrective normative feedback regarding actual use by peers may be an important target for WTS intervention among college students. Future research should investigate the temporal association between normative perceptions and WTS behaviors among college students.

Point-of-Sale E-cigarette Advertising Among Tobacco Stores.

The marketing expenditure and sale of e-cigarettes increased sharply in the United States in recent years. However, little is known about neighborhood characteristics of point-of-sale (POS) e-cigarette advertising among tobacco stores. The purpose of this study was to examine socio-demographic characteristics of POS e-cigarette advertising among tobacco stores in the Omaha metropolitan area of Nebraska, USA. Between April and June 2014, trained fieldworkers completed marketing audits of all stores that sell tobacco (n = 463) in the Omaha metropolitan area and collected comprehensive e-cigarette advertising data of these stores. Based on the auditing information, we categorized tobacco stores based on e-cigarette advertising status. Logistic regression was used to examine the association between neighborhood socio-demographic factors and e-cigarette advertising among tobacco stores. 251 (54.2%) of the 463 tobacco stores had e-cigarette advertisements. We found that neighborhoods of stores with POS e-cigarette advertising had higher per capita income (p < 0.05), higher percentage of non-hispanic whites (p < 0.005), and higher percentage of individuals with high school education (p < 0.005) than neighborhoods of stores without POS e-cigarette advertising. There were negative associations between e-cigarette advertising and number of adolescents or number of middle/high school students. After adjusting for covariates, only percentage of non-Hispanic Whites remained a significant factor for e-cigarette advertising. POS e-cigarette advertising among tobacco stores is related with neighborhood socioeconomic and demographic characteristics. Future studies are needed to understand how these characteristics are related with e-cigarette purchasing and e-cigarette prevalence among social groups.

Neighbourhood exposure to point-of-sale price promotions for cigarettes is associated with financial stress among smokers: results from a population-based study.

AIM: To examine the association between neighbourhood exposure to point-of-sale (POS) cigarette price promotions and financial stress among smokers in a Midwestern metropolitan area in the USA. METHODS: Survey data from 888 smokers provided information on sociodemographic and smoking related variables. Financial stress was measured with the question: 'In the last six months, because of lack of money, was there a time when you were unable to buy food or pay any important bills on time, such as electricity, telephone, credit card, rent or your mortgage? (Yes/No).' Using audit data from 504 tobacco retailers, we estimated a score of POS price promotions for each respondent by summing the different types of promotion in each store in their neighbourhood, as defined by a 1-km roadway buffer. RESULTS: Adjusted results provided strong support for an association between higher scores of neighbourhood POS cigarette price promotions and a higher probability of financial stress (p=0.007). CONCLUSION: Exposure to POS cigarette price promotions is associated with financial stress. This finding, coupled with previous reports that smokers with financial stress are less likely to attempt to quit or succeed in quitting smoking, suggests that POS cigarette price promotions may act as an impediment to smoking cessation.

Association between breath alcohol concentration and waterpipe lounge patrons' carbon monoxide exposure: A field investigation.

BACKGROUND AND AIMS: Concurrent alcohol use and waterpipe (WP) smoking is common among young adults. WP smokers are more than twice as likely to use alcohol as non-users and frequently consume alcohol immediately before and during a WP smoking session. It is unclear what impact alcohol has on WP smoking patterns and resultant exposure to tobacco-related toxicants. The current research aimed to understand the association between alcohol consumption and WP smoke exposure among WP lounge patrons. METHODS: Seventy-one lounge patrons (66.2% male; Mage=27.03, SD=5.32) completed pre- and post-WP session self-report measures and biomarkers of smoking (expired carbon monoxide; eCO) and alcohol consumption (breath alcohol concentration; BrAC) upon entering and exiting the WP lounge. RESULTS: After controlling for number of bowls and charcoals smoked, greater consumption of alcohol was associated with greater smoke exposure among WP lounge patrons (p<0.05), such that a 0.1 unit increase in BrAC was associated with an eCO increase of 19.44ppm. This relationship was mediated by time spent in the WP lounge. CONCLUSIONS: Concurrent alcohol use resulted in greater eCO, likley due to participants spending a greater amount of time in the WP lounge and experiencing longer sustained exposure to secondhand smoke. These findings illustrate a need for further research on the impact of alcohol consumption on WP smoking to assess the potential need for regulation of these products in WP lounges.

Social Disparities in Exposure to Point-of-Sale Cigarette Marketing.

While most ecological studies have shown that higher levels of point-of-sale (POS) cigarette marketing are associated with larger proportions of residents from lower socioeconomic and minority backgrounds in neighborhoods, there are no studies that examine individual-level social disparities in exposure to POS cigarette marketing among smokers in the United States. Our aim was to examine these disparities in a Midwestern metropolitan area in the United States. We conducted a telephone survey to collect data on 999 smokers. Cigarette marketing was measured by asking respondents three questions about noticing advertisements, promotions, and displays of cigarettes within their respective neighborhoods. The questions were combined to create a summated scale. We estimated ordered logistic regression models to examine the association of sociodemographic variables with exposure to POS cigarette marketing. Adjusted results showed that having a lower income (p < 0.003) and belonging to a race/ethnicity other than "non-Hispanic White" (p = 0.011) were associated with higher levels of exposure to POS cigarette marketing. The results highlight social disparities in exposure to POS cigarette marketing in the United States, which can potentially be eliminated by banning all forms of cigarette marketing.

Point-of-sale cigarette marketing and smoking-induced deprivation in smokers: results from a population-based survey.

BACKGROUND: Strict restrictions on outdoor cigarette marketing have resulted in increasing concentration of cigarette marketing at the point-of-sale (POS). The association between POS cigarette marketing and smoking-induced deprivation (SID) has never been studied. The aim of this study was to examine this association and how it is mediated by cravings to smoke, urges to buy cigarettes, and unplanned purchases of cigarettes. METHODS: Data from a telephone survey of 939 smokers were collected in Omaha, Nebraska. POS cigarette marketing was measured by asking respondents three questions about noticing pack displays, advertisements, and promotions such as cigarette price discounts within their respective neighborhoods. SID was measured with the following question: "In the last six months, has there been a time when the money you spent on cigarettes resulted in not having enough money for household essentials such as food? [yes/no]" We used structural equation modeling to examine the study aim. RESULTS: There was overwhelming evidence for an association between higher levels of POS cigarette marketing and a higher probability of SID (p < 0.001). This association was partly mediated by cravings to smoke, urges to buy cigarettes, and unplanned purchases of cigarettes during a visit to a neighborhood store (p < 0.001). CONCLUSION: Given that POS cigarette marketing is associated with a higher probability of experiencing SID, policies that ban POS cigarette marketing might help some smokers afford essentials household items such as food more easily and thus have better standards of living.

The Association of Exposure to Point-of-Sale Tobacco Marketing with Quit Attempt and Quit Success: Results from a Prospective Study of Smokers in the United States.

The aim was to assess the association of exposure to point-of-sale (POS) tobacco marketing with quit attempt and quit success in a prospective study of smokers in the United States. Data were collected via telephone-interview on exposure to POS tobacco marketing, sociodemographic and smoking-related variables from 999 smokers in Omaha, Nebraska, in the United States. Exposure to POS tobacco marketing was measured by asking respondents three questions about noticing pack displays, advertisements, and promotions in their respective neighborhoods stores. These three variables were combined into a scale of exposure to POS tobacco marketing. About 68% of the respondents participated in a six-month follow-up phone interview and provided data on quit attempts and smoking cessation. At the six-month follow-up, 39.9% of respondents reported to have made a quit attempt, and 21.8% of those who made a quit attempt succeeded in quitting. Exposure to POS marketing at baseline was not associated with the probability of having made a quit attempt as reported at the six-month follow-up (p = 0.129). However, higher exposure to POS marketing was associated with a lower probability of quit success among smokers who reported to have attempted to quit smoking at six-month follow-up (p = 0.006). Exposure to POS tobacco marketing is associated with lower chances of successfully quitting smoking. Policies that reduce the amount of exposure to POS marketing might result in higher smoking cessation rates.

Social Disparities in Unaided Quit Attempts Among Daily Current and Former Smokers: Results From the 2010-2011 Tobacco Use Supplement to the Current Population Survey.

INTRODUCTION: There are well-documented inverse relationships between smoking and smoking cessation with measures of socioeconomic status. This study used nationally representative data to examine unaided quit attempts and their sociodemographic determinants among daily current and former smokers who made a quit attempt in the last 12 months. METHODS: We used data from the 2010-2011 Tobacco Use Supplement to the Current Population Survey. We limited the analysis to current daily smokers who made a quit attempt in the past year and former smokers who were daily smokers 1 year prior to the survey (N = 8201). RESULTS: Nearly 62% (n = 5078) of the sample made an unaided quit attempt. Adjusted results indicated unaided quit attempts were more likely among males compared to females (P < .001), younger age groups compared to older age groups (P < .001), non-Hispanic blacks compared to non-Hispanic whites (P < .001), among people with lower income compared to people with higher income (P < .001), and among people with lower nicotine dependence compared to those with higher nicotine dependence (P < .001). CONCLUSIONS: Most quit attempts were unaided and there were significant sociodemographic disparities in unaided quit attempts. Considering that cessation aids enhance the likelihood of quitting, policies and programs should target populations which are more likely to attempt quitting without an aid and encourage them to use or provide subsidized cessation aids. Healthcare providers should advise their patients about approaches to quitting. IMPLICATIONS: This study used the most recent nationally representative data for the United States to examine sociodemographic disparities in unaided quitting among current and former daily smokers who made a quit attempt in the last 12 months. Most quit attempts were unaided. People who were male, younger, non-Hispanic black, had lower nicotine dependence, and those who were low income were more likely to make an unaided quit attempt. These results could be used by policy makers and program planners to develop cessation interventions directed at specific populations to improve smoking cessation rates.

Point-of-Sale Cigarette Marketing, Urge to Buy Cigarettes, and Impulse Purchases of Cigarettes: Results From a Population-Based Survey.

AIMS: Our aim was to examine the association of exposure to point-of-sale (POS) cigarette marketing for one's regular brand, as well as any brand of cigarettes, with the urge to buy cigarettes and frequency of impulse purchases of cigarettes. METHODS: Nine hundred ninety-nine smokers in Omaha, Nebraska were interviewed via telephone. Cigarette marketing was measured by asking respondents questions about noticing pack displays, advertisements, and promotions such as discounts for their regular brand as well as any brand of cigarettes in their neighborhoods stores. We measured urge to buy cigarettes with the question "When you are in a store in your neighborhood that sells tobacco products, how often do you get an urge to buy cigarettes?" We measured frequency of impulse purchases of cigarettes with the question "When you are shopping in a store in your neighborhood for something other than cigarettes, how often do you decide to buy cigarettes?" We estimated ordinary least squares linear regression models to address the study aim. RESULTS: Higher levels of POS marketing for one's regular brand and any brands of cigarettes were associated with more frequent urges to buy (P < .001 and P < .001, respectively) and impulse purchases of cigarettes (P = .01 and P = .013, respectively), after adjusting for covariates. CONCLUSION: Exposure to POS marketing for one's own brand of cigarette as well as any brand is associated with urges to buy and impulse purchases of cigarettes. IMPLICATIONS: Existing studies on the association of POS cigarette marketing with urge to buy and an impulse purchase of cigarettes only focus on cigarette pack displays, not on advertisements and promotions. Also, these studies make no distinction between marketing for the smokers' regular brand and any brand of cigarettes. This study found that Exposure to POS marketing for one's own brand of cigarette as well as any brand is associated with urges to buy and impulse purchases of cigarettes. Our findings can provide part of the evidence-base needed by the Food and Drug Administration or local authorities to regulate POS marketing.

The association of point-of-sale cigarette marketing with cravings to smoke: results from a cross-sectional population-based study.

OBJECTIVE: To examine the association between recalled exposure to point-of-sale (POS) cigarette marketing (ie, pack displays, advertisements and promotions such as discounts) and reported cravings to smoke while visiting a store. METHODS: Data were collected using a telephone survey of a cross-sectional sample of 999 adult smokers in Omaha, Nebraska. Recalled exposure to POS cigarette marketing was measured by asking respondents about noticing (a) pack displays, (b) advertisements and (c) promotions in store in their neighbourhood. A 3-item scale indicating the frequency of experiencing cravings to smoke in locations where cigarettes are sold was created by asking respondents: (1) "feel a craving for a cigarette?" (2) "feel like nothing would be better than smoking a cigarette?" and (3) "feel like all you want is a cigarette?" The association between recalled exposure to POS cigarette marketing and cravings was estimated using ordinary least squares linear regression models, controlling for nicotine dependence, gender, age, race/ethnicity, income, education, frequency of visiting stores in one's neighbourhood and method of recruitment into the study. RESULTS: Recalled exposure to POS cigarette displays (p<0.001) and advertisements (p=0.002), but not promotions (p=0.06), was associated with more frequent cravings to smoke. CONCLUSIONS: Recalled exposure to POS cigarette marketing is associated with cravings to smoke as predicted by laboratory studies on the effects of smoking cues on cigarette craving. Policies that reduce or eliminate POS cigarette marketing could reduce cigarette cravings and might attenuate impulse buying of cigarettes.

Rapid HIV Screening in an Urban Jail: How Testing at Exit With Linkage to Community Care Can Address Perceived Barriers.

Despite recommendations from the CDC, only 36 % of jails offer routine HIV screening to inmates. Our purpose was to explore the feasibility of rapid HIV testing at release from an urban jail, and to identify potential barriers to this process. This project was incorporated into an established partnership between the jail, local academic medical center, and local public health department. We offered rapid HIV testing at the time of release to 507 jail inmates over a 7 week period of 2013. Three hundred and two (60 %) inmates elected testing. All participating inmates received individual test counseling, HIV prevention education, and linkage to care in the community prior to release. All tested inmates received results before release; one inmate screened positive for HIV and was linked to care. Previous HIV testing was the most frequently cited reason given (60 %) among the 205 inmates who declined at the time of the study. Utilizing the partnership between the jail, public health, and an academic medical center, we found that rapid HIV testing at exit was feasible and acceptable in this urban jail setting and could provide immediate linkage to care for those in need.

Comparison of Opt-In Versus Opt-Out Testing for Sexually Transmitted Infections Among Inmates in a County Jail.

A majority of jails in the United States rely on an opt-in (voluntary) rather than opt-out (universal) approach to testing for sexually transmitted infections (STIs). This study compares an opt-out approach at intake to opt-in testing during incarceration and estimates the prevalence of common STIs among jail inmates. Data derive from a universal intake pilot testing program (n = 298) and an established, student-led voluntary testing program (n = 1,963), respectively. The adjusted prevalence as well as the odds of testing positive for chlamydia were significantly higher in the opt-out program (p = .025 and .008, respectively) than the opt-in program but not for gonorrhea (p = .402 and .300, respectively). These results demonstrate the potential public health benefit of implementation of universal STI testing of jail inmates.

Dieting Increases the Likelihood of Subsequent Obesity and BMI Gain: Results from a Prospective Study of an Australian National Sample.

BACKGROUND: Diet is a major determinant of obesity; however, findings from the studies examining how dieting to lose weight affects weight gain have been inconclusive. PURPOSE: Our aim was to examine the longitudinal association of frequency of dieting for weight loss with (a) obesity status and (b) body mass index (BMI) change. METHODS: We used data from Waves 9 (2009) and 10 (2010) of the Household Income and Labour Dynamics in Australia (HILDA) survey. Binominal logistic regression estimated the association of frequency of dieting in 2009 on probability of obesity in 2010. Multinomial logistic regression estimated the association of frequency of dieting in 2009 on the probability of BMI gain versus BMI maintenance and BMI loss between 2009 and 2010. The analysis sample size was 8824. RESULTS: Compared to those who were never on a diet in the previous year, the odds of obesity were 1.9, 2.9, and 3.2 times higher among those who were on a diet once, more than once, and always, respectively. Similarly, the odds of BMI gain versus BMI maintenance and also versus BMI loss were higher among those who dieted than those who did not. CONCLUSIONS: Dieting to lose weight can contribute to the risk of future obesity and weight gain. Losing weight requires a commitment to change one's lifestyle and a sustained effort to maintain a healthy diet and engage in physical activity.

Association between duration of use of pharmacotherapy and smoking cessation: findings from a national survey.

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the association of the duration of use of prescription medications and nicotine replacement therapy (NRT) with smoking cessation using a national sample of the general population in the USA, controlling for nicotine dependence and sociodemographic variables. SETTING USA PARTICIPANTS: We used data from the 2010-2011 Tobacco Use Supplement to the US Current Population Survey. We limited the analysis to current daily smokers who made a quit attempt in the past year and former smokers who were a daily smoker 1 year prior to the survey (n=8263). Respondents were asked about duration of use of prescription medication (varenicline, bupropion, other) and NRT (nicotine patch, gum/lozenges, nasal spray and inhaler) for smoking cessation. PRIMARY OUTCOME MEASURE: Successful smoking cessation. Individuals who reported to have smoked at least 100 cigarettes in their lifetime but were not smoking at all at the time of the interview and were a daily smoker 1 year prior to the interview were considered to have successfully quit smoking. RESULTS: After adjusting for daily cigarette consumption and sociodemographic covariates, we found evidence for an association between duration of pharmacotherapy use and smoking cessation (p<0.001). Adjusted cessation rates for those who used prescription medication or NRT for 5+ weeks were 28.8% and 27.8%, respectively. Adjusted cessation rates for those who used prescription medication or NRT for less than 5 weeks varied from 6.2% to 14.5%. Adjusted cessation rates for those who used only behavioural counselling and those who attempted to quit smoking unassisted were 16.1% and 16.4%, respectively. CONCLUSIONS: Use of pharmacotherapy for at least 5 weeks is associated with increased likelihood of successful smoking cessation. Results suggest that encouraging smokers who intend to quit to use pharmacotherapy and to adhere to treatment duration can help improve chances of successful cessation.

Socioeconomic Status, Smoking, Alcohol use, Physical Activity, and Dietary Behavior as Determinants of Obesity and Body Mass Index in the United States: Findings from the National Health Interview Survey.

OBJECTIVES: The aim of this research was to study the socio-demographic and behavioral determinants of obesity and Body Mass Index (BMI) in the United States, using a nationally representative sample. METHODS: We used data from the 2010 US National Health Interview Survey. Analyses were limited to adults 18 years and older (N=23,434). Multivariate regression analyses were conducted to estimate the associations between covariates and obesity and BMI. RESULTS: Overall, 28.1% in the sample were obese and the mean BMI was 27.6 kg/m(2). In adjusted models, we found that older age, non-Hispanic Black race, lower education and income levels, Midwestern and Southern region of residence, former smoking, infrequent alcohol use, physical inactivity, consumption of less fruits, vegetables, brown rice and more cheese, fried potato and meat, were associated with obesity. These factors were also associated with higher BMI, along with male gender and higher consumption of meat, fried potatoes and cheese. CONCLUSIONS AND GLOBAL HEALTH IMPLICATIONS: The association of many of the socio-demographic and behavioral factors with obesity and higher BMI found in our study was consistent with previous findings. Persistence of such associations suggest a need for better understanding of the underlying mechanism as well as for evaluation of the current programs and policies targeted at reducing the obesity burden in the United States. In view of the rising global obesity epidemic, especially in the low- and middle-income countries, our findings could help guide development of effective health and social policies and programs aimed at reducing the obesity burden in other parts of the world.

Occupational variations in obesity, smoking, heavy drinking, and non-adherence to physical activity recommendations: findings from the 2010 National Health Interview Survey.

BACKGROUND: Understanding occupational variations in health risks is necessary to identify high risk groups. We examined the recent prevalence of obesity, heavy alcohol consumption, smoking, and leisure time physical activity (PA) across occupations. METHODS: Data from the 2010 National Health Interview Survey were used. Analysis was limited to adults, 18 and older who had a job or business the week before the interview (n = 14,754). Adjusted prevalences of outcomes across occupations were calculated using logistic regression. RESULTS: The highest prevalence of obesity was within community and social services and morbid obesity was in computer and mathematical occupations. That of smoking was highest in healthcare support, heavy drinking in food preparation and serving related, and non-adherence to PA recommendations in the farming, fishing, and forestry occupations. CONCLUSION: Important health risk factors vary across occupations. Worksite and public health interventions need to be designed and modified to address such occupational health disparities.

It is better to be a fat ex-smoker than a thin smoker: findings from the 1997-2004 National Health Interview Survey-National Death Index linkage study.

OBJECTIVE: The aim of this research was to compare the risk of all-cause mortality and mortality from all cancers combined, lung cancer, respiratory diseases, cardiovascular diseases and diabetes mellitus between normal-weight smokers and overweight or obese ex-smokers. METHODS: Data were from 1997 to 2004 National Health Interview Survey (with response rates ranging from 70% to 80%) which were linked to records in the National Death Index. Mortality follow-up was through 31 December 2006. The sample was limited to normal-weight smokers and overweight/obese ex-smokers 25 years of age and older (n=52,819). HR from Cox regression was computed to represent mortality effect. RESULTS: Results showed that in both women and men, normal-weight smokers, relative to overweight or obese ex-smokers, had a higher risk of mortality from all causes combined, all cancers combined, lung cancer, cardiovascular and respiratory diseases. Among women, there was no difference in mortality risk from diabetes mellitus between normal-weight smokers and overweight or obese ex-smokers. Among men, there was some evidence that the risk of mortality was higher in obese ex-smokers than normal-weight smokers. CONCLUSIONS: This article concludes that, overall, mortality risk is smaller in overweight or obese ex-smokers than normal-weight smokers. Smoking cessation interventions can tailor messages that highlight the greater reduction in mortality associated with quitting, compared with potential weight gain.