A new study has revealed that quitting smoking may not result in a person putting on weight.

The study, conducted by University of Otago, followed the progress of about 1000 people born in Dunedin in 1972-1973 and measured their smoking habits and weight regularly from the age of 15 to 38, Stuff.co.nz reported.

According to the findings, both male and female quitters were likely to gain about 5 kilograms more than those who carried on smoking, but their weight returned to the same level as those who had never smoked.

The study also found that being a smoker did not prevent long-term weight gain, and all the groups in the study put on weight as they aged, regardless of their smoking status.

Head researcher Lindsay Robertson said that a previous study had suggested people might gain large amounts of weight after quitting, but these studies were unreliable.

The study was published in the Nicotine and Tobacco Research journal.