21 Jan 2010, 0116 hrs IST

Health News: Researchers from the University of Western Ontario Canada have found that exercise can help people quit smoking.

A combination of nicotine replacement therapy and exercise works best, according to Dr. Harry Prapavssis, director of the Exercise and Health Psychology Laboratory.

In a recent study, 70 percent of women had stopped smoking at the end of the 12-week program, but after one year, only 27 percent remained abstinent.

"Our physical fitness and weight data supported the abstinence data. This suggests that exercise needs to be maintained for individuals to continue to kick the habit," Prapavessis said.

"It is important to determine whether inexpensive home and community-based lifestyle exercise maintenance programs can maintain exercise, fitness and weight after cessation program termination, and hence prevent (reduce) smoking relapse," he added.