Healthcare (Commonwealth Union) – Quitting smoking offers numerous health benefits, both in the short-term and long-term. Within just a few weeks of quitting, your lung function improves, and your circulation begins to normalize. Over time, your risk of developing heart disease, stroke, and various types of cancer decreases significantly.
Whether or not people choose to set New Year’s resolutions, many aim to adopt a healthier lifestyle in 2025. A groundbreaking study led by the University of Bristol suggests that smartwatches might play a crucial role in helping smokers quit. Researchers tested a smartwatch equipped with a specially designed app that utilizes built-in motion sensors to identify the characteristic hand movements associated with smoking. The findings, published in JMIR Formative Research, revealed that this technology could assist more than two-thirds of trial participants in overcoming their smoking habit.
Smoking remains the leading cause of preventable illness and early death, negatively affecting nearly every organ in the body while diminishing both quality of life and life expectancy. However, quitting smoking is infamously challenging, with many individuals struggling to find effective solutions despite numerous attempts.
In this innovative feasibility study, the research team developed an app that leverages smartwatch motion sensors to recognize smoking-related hand movements. When the app detects a smoking episode, the smartwatch sends a timely relapse-prevention message, aiming to support the individual’s efforts to quit right at the critical moment.
The intervention was tested on 18 participants interested in quitting smoking. Each participant wore a standard Android smartwatch preloaded with the custom app for a period of two weeks, providing insights into the potential of this technology to support smoking cessation efforts.
Participants noted that the smartwatch intervention heightened their awareness of smoking, helping them address the more automatic aspects of their smoking habits. This increased mindfulness encouraged them to reflect on their behavior and motivated them to quit.
Researchers found that using a smartwatch to deliver a smoking relapse prevention intervention was both able to be done and acceptable to most participants, with 12 out of 18 (66%) expressing support for it.
This intervention is believed to be the first of its kind to operate entirely on a smartwatch, eliminating the need for pairing with a smartphone.
Chris Stone, Senior Research Associate in Wearable Technology Application Development with Bristol’s Tobacco and Alcohol Research Group and the Integrative Cancer Epidemiology Programme (ICEP), highlighted how this approach could support smoking cessation. He pointed out that an initial lapse is a critical moment for those trying to quit, often leading to a full relapse. People are drawn to smartwatches and the idea of receiving timely messages when they smoke. He indicated that by identifying the exact moment of a lapse and delivering an intervention right then, they have the ability to significantly enhance the chances of a successful quit attempt.
“In carrying out this project, we have aimed to harness the latest thinking in intervention design, and deliver it in a convenient wearable package with minimal burden to the user and maximum engagement with behaviour change; and in doing so, make a difference to people’s lives.”
Alizée Froguel, Cancer Research UK‘s Prevention Policy Manager, highlighted the fact that smoking is the leading cause of cancer in the UK, and quitting entirely is the most beneficial action for one’s health. This study demonstrates that smartwatches could potentially be a helpful tool for assisting individuals in quitting smoking; however, further research is necessary to determine their true effectiveness.
“There are many tools available to help people quit, and getting support from your free local stop smoking service will give you the best chance of stopping successfully. To help create a smokefree future, the UK government must ensure cessation services are sustainably funded and accessible for all.”
