title: Cigarette smoking among adolescents in Thessaloniki, Greece.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Epidemiological characteristics in tobacco smoking among adolescents were investigated in Thessaloniki, Greece.
  
  
  METHODS
  The target sample was 1,221 students coming from 15 high schools.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Cigarette smoking was higher among girls than boys (40.9% vs. 34.3%). However, the percentage of boys who were smoking more than 20 cigarettes per day was found larger than the relevant percentage of girls (81.2% vs. 75% of total smokers). The boys also reported an earlier initiation of tobacco use (12.7 years vs. 12.9 years in girls). Physical activity was negatively correlated with smoking, whereas drinking alcohol and low parental education were positively correlated with smoking.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Health promotion programs should be instituted not only during adolescence, but rather before the age of 14.
authors: Laboratory of Hygiene and Epidemiology, Medical School, Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, Thessaloniki, Greece.
authors: Malamatenia
authors: M
authors: Arvanitidou
authors: Ilias
authors: I
authors: Tirodimos
authors: Ioannis
authors: I
authors: Kyriakidis
authors: Zinovia
authors: Z
authors: Tsinaslanidou
authors: Demitris
authors: D
authors: Seretopoulos
authors: Theodore
authors: T
authors: Dardavessis
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000294:Adolescent Behavior; D000367:Age Factors; D000428:Alcohol Drinking / Q000453:epidemiology; D004493:Education; D015444:Exercise; D005260:Female; D006115:Greece / Q000453:epidemiology; D006293:Health Promotion; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D010290:Parents; D012307:Risk Factors; D012737:Sex Factors; D012907:Smoking / Q000453:epidemiology*; D000074606:Smoking Prevention