Increasing fitness is associated with fewer depressive symptoms during successful smoking abstinence among women.

Exercise has been hypothesized to curb increases in depressive symptoms often associated with smoking cessation. The relationship between increased fitness and changes in depressive symptoms was examined among 40 women who were abstinent at the end of an 8-week randomized controlled trial. Participants received group-based, cognitive-behavioral smoking cessation treatment plus either exercise or contact control. All participants completed maximal fitness tests and questionnaires, including the Centers for Epidemiological Studies Depression Scale at baseline and at post-treatment. Regardless of treatment assignment, women who increased fitness over the 8-week treatment period were more likely to have decreases in depressive symptoms. Results indicate that increased fitness may benefit women by attenuating the depressive symptoms often associated with nicotine withdrawal.