[abrons]

The article mentions prescription drugs but doesn't mention a widely used over the counter one: nicotine.

US smoking rates are down about 50% over the last 20 years. (That's overall, I couldn't find any details by cohort.)

[desdiv]

Good thinking, but the researchers already adjusted for smoking status [0][1].

[0] http://i.imgur.com/mQZ1ST9.png

[1] http://i.imgur.com/Hi1x4Ab.png

[jl6]

Is the suggestion that people are channelling addictive behaviors from smoking to eating?

[damian2000]

Smoking reduces your appetite, leading to less eating and less weight.

http://www.npr.org/2011/06/09/137085989/the-skinny-on-smokin...

[jacobolus]

Nicotine (without smoking) also has that effect, even in low doses.

Actually there are two parts: it reduces appetite, and also raises the resting metabolic rate, cf. e.g. http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/2773833