Comparison of Knowledge Regarding Nutrition, Attitudes and Practices among Smokers and Non-Smokers

According to different studies, it seems that nutrition, lifestyle and health behaviors differ between smokers and non-smokers. Since smoking is well known as one of the main reasons of mortality and illness; determination of knowledge, attitude and nutritional practice in smokers could have considerable effect on the quality of services provided by smoking cessation clinics.During a 6-month cross-sectional study, 486 people consist of 226 smokers (referred to cessation clinics) and 260 non-smokers (family members of smoker group) were evaluated; and their knowledge, attitude and nutritional practice scores together with the history of cigarette consumption and demographic characteristics were assessed by the LIKERT questionnaire and compared between two groups.The proportion of males was 67.70% (153) in smokers and 44.23% (115) in non-smokers. The mean scores of knowledge, attitude and nutritional practice in non-smokers were non-significantly more than smokers in both gender groups; except for the mean of females attitude score which was significantly more in non-smokers (40.3±4.8 vs. 37.1±5.7; p-value=0.001). In a nutritional practice assessment of females, there was a significant difference between smokers and non-smokers (p-value<0.005); and the following of regular exercise programs was different between smoker and non-smoker males (p-value<0.001) as well.Despite of non-significant difference in knowledge and nutritional practice of different genders between two smoking groups, non-smoker females was significantly better in regard of attitude and nutritional practice. Also following of regular exercise programs in non-smoker males was more than smokers.