Are Smokers Lazy? Study

We've all seen them-slouching outside near the entrance of the office while we're heading to Starbucks for a bagel. They're "the smokers." And despite the fact that these guys are bringing in some unnecessary third-hand stuff in with them wherever they go, a new study by Brazilian researchers shows that smokers are lazier than their non-smoking counterparts. To add to that, they're also more likely to suffer from symptoms of anxiety and depression.

"To our knowledge, this is the first study that has demonstrated a reduction in the objectively measured level of physical activity in daily life of adult smokers compared with non-smokers," said lead researcher Dr Karina Furlanetto, according to a news release.

For the study, researchers examined 50 smokers and 50 non-smokers who were asked to wear a pedometer for a minimum of 12 hours a day for six days. They were then asked to fill out questionnaires to rate their health-related quality of life.

Findings showed that smokers typically felt more fatigued and less motivated to change their lifestyles than non-smokers. 

"Besides presenting poorer lung function, exercise capacity, quality of life and symptoms of anxiety and depression, smokers also walked less than non-smokers in daily life," she added, via a release.

To add lack of motivation to the mix, previous studies have also shown that smoking may mess up sleep patterns and cause disturbances. When you know it's just not good for you, maybe it's time to quit.

More information regarding the study can be found via the journal Respirology.