Washington, Oct. 25 (Reuters): Want to quit smoking? Hit the gym.

A study released by the American College of Chest Physicians found smokers who combine exercise with nicotine gum or transdermal patches are more likely to quit than those who rely on nicotine replacement therapy alone.

Sixty-eight patients at two Austrian hospitals were randomly assigned either a treatment programme including exercise or one that only used nicotine replacement therapy.

After three months, 80 per cent of those who exercised had quit smoking, while 52 per cent that did not exercise had quit. And those who exercised were more likely to reduce their cigarette smoking if they did not quit, the study found.