To ponder a link between

[dontbesillyhenry]

The rise in obesity and the drop in rates of smoking?

I smoked. I was slim. I gave up- I am fat. I know many who admitted they smoked to keep their weight down.

I'm interested in everyone's thoughts

Statistically, heavy smokers are actually more likely to be obese than non-smokers, so I don't think there is a link.

Yes, some people do gain a bit of weight when they give up smoking, but not in large enough numbers to make a significant difference to obesity rates overall.

I was stick thin when I smoked. But I also used to drink a lot of coffee.

Here's a piece analysing the statistics in the US. www.statnews.com/2016/02/05/are-fewer-smokers-obesity-rate-linked/

The conclusion is you might gain some weight if you stop smoking but its not a significant factor in the obesity epidemic.