Cigarette smoking for weight loss or control among adolescents: gender and racial/ethnic differences.
OBJECTIVE
To describe gender and racial/ethnic differences in the prevalence of cigarette smoking for weight loss or control in an adolescent population-based sample, and relationships among heavy smoking, weight concerns and smoking to lose or control weight.


METHODS
Anonymous questionnaires were administered to 81,247 9th and 12th grade public school students across the state of Minnesota in 1998. Variables of interest included smoking frequency, weight concerns, and smoking for weight loss or control. Logistic regression analyses were used to estimate the odds of smoking to lose or control weight by race/ethnicity and gender, and to evaluate the relationships between smoking to lose or control weight and heavy smoking, perceptions of overweight, and weight concerns by race/ethnicity and gender.


RESULTS
With the exception of black females, female smokers of different racial/ethnic groups were as likely as white girls to smoke for weight loss or control. Compared to white male smokers, American Indian and Asian American male smokers were more likely to smoke for weight loss or control, and black, Hispanic, and mixed race male smokers were equally likely to smoke for weight loss or control. Heavy smokers, smokers who perceived themselves as overweight or were weight-concerned were significantly more likely to report smoking as a weight control method.


CONCLUSIONS
Smoking for weight control is prevalent across many race/ethnic groups and both genders among adolescents.
Fulkerson
Jayne A
JA
Division of Epidemiology, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, Minnesota 55454-1015, USA. fulkerson@epi.umn.edu
French
Simone A
SA
D000293:Adolescent; D000886:Anthropometry; D001828:Body Image; D015992:Body Mass Index; D005006:Ethnicity / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D016015:Logistic Models; D008297:Male; D009765:Obesity / Q000208:ethnology* / Q000517:prevention & control*; D016017:Odds Ratio; D011159:Population Surveillance; D015995:Prevalence; D011336:Probability; D012307:Risk Factors; D017678:Sex Distribution; D012907:Smoking / Q000453:epidemiology*; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D015431:Weight Loss