Exercise Effects on Health-Related Quality of Life (HRQOL), Muscular Function, Cardiorespiratory Function, and Body Composition in Smokers: A Narrative Review

Smoking is amongst the leading global threats with high incidences of preventable premature mortality, morbidity, and various chronic diseases. The World Health Organization (WHO) proclaims a decrease in the prevalence of daily smoking in both males and females from 1980 to 2012, however, the number of regular smokers since then has exponentially increased. The low socio-income status individuals contribute greatly towards tobacco-attributable diseases due to limited access to healthcare systems, mostly in developing countries as compared to developed countries. Smoking affects the optimal functioning of the human body, which results in altered body system processes. Although a high intake of nicotine can lead to prolonged adherence and dependence on smoking, other factors, such as an individual’s level of health-related quality of life (HRQOL), stress, depression, and anxiety, can produce similar effects. Smoking has a wide impact on lifestyle factors, which explains the increase in the number of sedentary smokers with decreased health fitness levels and poor lifestyle conditions. Therefore, this study seeks to investigate the exercise effects on health-related quality of life (HRQOL), muscular function, cardiorespiratory function, and body composition in smokers. Concurrently, exercise as an intervention has been sourced as a rehabilitation strategy during smoking cessation programmes to restore the diminishing health components, however, a high rate of relapse occurs due to intolerable withdrawal symptoms.