Youth Prevention

Research

The reciprocal relationships between changes in adolescent perceived prevalence of smoking in movies and progression of smoking status
Young teenagers’ perceived exposure to smoking in movies influences their own smoking behaviors, according to new research. Researchers analyzed data collected from the Minnesota Adolescent Community Cohort Study between 2000 and 2007. The data revealed that perceived prevalence of smoking in movies was associated with subsequent smoking behaviors in teenagers ages 13.5 to 15.5, and after the age of 15.5, the association was inconsistent. The researchers suggest that interventions should be directed at young teenagers to build resistance to images of smoking in movies. Read the study abstract here in Tobacco Control.

Cigarettes smoked per day among high school students in the U.S., 1991-2009
Between 1991 and 2009, light smoking (less than five cigarettes a day) has become more prevalent among youths, while heavy smoking (eleven or more cigarettes per day) has decreased. The researchers used data from the Youth Risk Behavior Surveys (YRBS) to determine high school students’ smoking habits. Results show that light smoking has increased from 67.2% to 79.4% and heavy smoking has decreased from 18.0% to 7.8%, with differences between specific racial groups. The authors say that although the decrease in heavy smoking is encouraging, light smoking is detrimental to health and efforts should continue to reduce all cigarette use. Read the study abstract in the American Journal of Preventive Medicine here.

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