Just trying to quit boosts health

Even those who try and fail to quit smoking repeatedly show health benefits

Giving up smoking even for just a short time can improve your life expectancy, say scientists.

But they warn that those who continue to smoke will suffer a declining lung function and have a higher risk of death from all causes.

The findings have been welcomed by anti-smoking groups.

Scientists from Finland's University of Kuopio, studied 1,000 men over three decades and found those who had never smoked lost less of their lung function in later life.

The message is don't give up on giving up. It's never too late to quit, but obviously the earlier you do it the better

A spokeswoman for ASH

Extra years of life

Although previous studies had shown a link between smoking and poor lung function, the Finnish study, of men from two rural areas, stood out because it showed those who quit either temporarily or permanently gained themselves extra years of life.

The decline in their lung function was also found to be significantly slower.

Even those who had repeatedly tried and failed to stop smoking were shown to have better working lungs than continuous smokers and to live longer.

The study, published in Thorax, showed smokers had a 20% higher risk of death from all causes than non-smokers.

The findings also showed those who survived longer, whether they smoked or not, tended to have lost less of their lung function than those who died.

Anti-smoking groups say the study should provide encouragement

The study, led by Dr Margit Pelknonen, said: "It has been shown that, for many smokers, the process of quitting requires several attempts before the habit is eliminated.

"It is therefore encouraging that intermittent quitters, as well as smokers across all levels of baseline pulmonary function, gain protection against an accelerated loss of pulmonary function.

"Thus, too much emphasis cannot be given to the importance of smoking cessation."

Never too late to quit

A spokeswoman for Action on Smoking and Health (ASH) said the study showed it was always worthwhile trying to quit.

She said: "It is always worth a go.

"The message is don't give up on giving up. It's never too late to quit, but obviously the earlier you do it the better."

Dr John Harvey, for the British Thoracic Society, which publishes Thorax, said the lungs were the "frontline" organ damaged by smoking, but that weakened lungs could lead to a variety of other conditions.

He said: "This research clearly demonstrates that stopping smoking for good is the best way to improve lung health.

"Giving up can be hard and take a number of attempts for some - but it is the most effective way to prevent a wide range of diseases."