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A new study conducted in collaboration between the Universities of Bristol and Exeter in the U.K. and the University of Eastern Finland suggests that teenagers may be less likely to initiate tobacco smoking if they engage in moderate-to-vigorous physical activity (MVPA) from childhood. The research, published in Behaviour Research and Therapy, highlights the long-term benefits of physical activity in reducing smoking rates among adolescents and young adults.
Key Findings of the Study
The study emphasizes that tobacco smoking during childhood and teenage years is a significant preventable risk factor for premature structural and functional cardiac damage, even by the mid-20s. While previous physical activity intervention studies have reported reduced smoking rates among adults, their impact on children and adolescents has been inconclusive due to short study durations, small sample sizes, and lack of accelerometer-measured data on physical activity.
This research is the largest and longest follow-up study to track accelerometer-based MVPA and smoking behavior among young individuals worldwide. A total of 2,503 children from the University of Bristol’s Children of the 90s cohort were monitored from age 11 until age 24. The prevalence of smoking at ages 13, 15, and 24 years was recorded at 1.5%, 13.5%, and 26.6%, respectively.
At the start of the study, children spent an average of six hours per day sedentary, six hours engaged in light physical activity, and around 55 minutes in MVPA. By young adulthood, the time spent sedentary increased to nine hours per day, light physical activity decreased to three hours per day, and MVPA dropped slightly to 50 minutes per day.
Impact of MVPA on Smoking Initiation
Biometric data such as fasting blood samples, cholesterol levels, triglycerides, glucose, insulin, and inflammatory markers were measured alongside socio-economic factors, family history of cardiovascular disease, and body composition assessments.
The study found that only six out of 1,000 children who engaged in MVPA at age 11 had initiated tobacco smoking by age 13, compared to the general smoking prevalence of 15 out of 1,000 in the same age group. This suggests that childhood participation in MVPA may prevent smoking initiation in 60% of 13-year-olds who might have otherwise started smoking.
While the preventive effect weakened slightly in young adulthood, continuous exposure to MVPA from childhood through young adulthood could still prevent smoking in eight out of 1,000 young adults, where the smoking prevalence was 266 out of 1,000.
Furthermore, teenagers who were non-smokers at ages 13 and 15 spent an average of 15 more minutes per day in MVPA by age 24 compared to those who had a history of smoking at the same ages. However, the study found no direct link between childhood sedentariness and tobacco smoking initiation.
Expert Insights
Dr. Andrew Agbaje, a physician and associate professor of Clinical Epidemiology and Child Health at the University of Eastern Finland, emphasized the significance of these findings.
“The MVPA-smoking preventive potential had a strong causal consistency across all tested statistical models, but the effect diminished by young adulthood. It is crucial that legislation protects young people against tobacco smoking and nicotine use initiation,” he stated.
Dr. Agbaje also noted that while quitting smoking in adulthood is beneficial, it may be too late to avoid long-term cardiovascular risks. Preventing smoking initiation in childhood is essential for lifelong health benefits. He further suggested that these findings could be relevant to vaping and electronic cigarette use among teenagers, given that nicotine is the common addictive component in both traditional and smokeless tobacco products.
Conclusion and Future Implications
The study underscores the importance of encouraging children to engage in regular physical activity as a potential strategy to reduce smoking initiation rates among teenagers. With growing concerns about youth vaping and tobacco use, these findings could inform public health policies and interventions aimed at promoting healthier lifestyles from an early age.
Disclaimer:
This article is for informational purposes only and does not constitute medical advice. Readers are encouraged to consult healthcare professionals for specific health concerns. The study findings should not be interpreted as a guaranteed method to prevent smoking initiation but as a contributing factor to reducing risk.
Reference: Andrew O. Agbaje, Accelerometer-based sedentary time and physical activity with incident and progressive tobacco smoking in 2503 children: A 13-year mediation and temporal longitudinal study, Behaviour Research and Therapy (2024). DOI: 10.1016/j.brat.2024.104674
