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A groundbreaking study published in the November 2024 issue of Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Diseases: Journal of the COPD Foundation has confirmed that smoking during childhood, particularly before the age of 15, greatly increases the likelihood of developing Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD) later in life.
COPD, an inflammatory lung condition, includes diseases such as chronic bronchitis and emphysema. It is a leading cause of disability and death, affecting over 30 million Americans and being the fourth leading cause of death worldwide. While COPD is commonly associated with long-term smoking, new research shows that the impact of childhood smoking is far more significant than previously understood.
The study, which builds upon earlier findings from the 2020 National Health Interview Survey, shows that adults who began smoking before the age of 15 had a higher prevalence of COPD than those who started smoking later in life. This finding persisted despite differences in current smoking habits and total lifetime cigarette use.
For the new research, the team expanded the scope to a nationally representative sample of adults aged 40 and older, utilizing data from the Population Assessment of Tobacco and Health (PATH) study. The study also accounted for possible secondhand smoke exposure, confirming that childhood smoking itself is a major risk factor.
Dr. Laura M. Paulin, a pulmonologist at Dartmouth Health’s Dartmouth Hitchcock Medical Center and senior author of the study, emphasized the significance of the findings. “Our study suggests that a person with a childhood smoking history has an increased risk of developing COPD, regardless of current smoking status, smoking duration, cigarette pack years, and exposure to secondhand smoke,” she said.
Dr. Paulin further explained that critical lung development occurs in childhood and early adolescence, making young lungs especially vulnerable to the damaging effects of cigarette smoke. “These findings highlight the need for additional public health efforts to reduce, and ultimately prevent, childhood smoking,” she added.
The study stresses the importance of early intervention and public health measures aimed at preventing smoking during childhood, a step that could help reduce the incidence of COPD and improve long-term health outcomes.
For more information, the study titled Childhood Cigarette Smoking and Risk of COPD in Older U.S. Adults: A Nationally Representative Replication Study is available in the November 2024 issue of Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Diseases: Journal of the COPD Foundation. DOI: 10.15326/jcopdf.2024.0514.
