This study was designed to clarify what factors influenced the ability to stop smoking in male smokers, from the viewpoint of life-style guidance and primary care. Of the people who attended adult health examinations between 1993 and 1998 in Okayama City, 987 male smokers were selected and categorized according to the number of cigarettes per day into three groups. The relation was analyzed statistically between the three groups and the life-style related factors: age, the degree of obesity, sleep, snacks, salt, exercise and alcohol. The results showed significant differences in age, the degree of obesity, sleep, salt, exercise.
Second, the relation between these three groups and the experience and duration of smoking cessation was analyzed. The results showed a significant difference in the experience of smoking cessation, but no significant difference in duration of smoking cessation.
The conclusions are as follows:
1. Male smokers, who do not actively try to improve of their life-style related factors, have fewer experiences of smoking cessation.
2. Male smokers who try to improve their life-style habits have a similar period of smoking cessation to those who do not.
3. Long term support for all male smokers to continue to be non-smoking is important.
