Association of smoking in adolescence with abdominal obesity in adulthood: a follow-up study of 5 birth cohorts of Finnish twins.
OBJECTIVE
We studied the association of adolescent smoking with overweight and abdominal obesity in adulthood.


METHODS
We used the FinnTwin16, a prospective, population-based questionnaire study of 5 consecutive and complete birth cohorts of Finnish twins born between 1975 and 1979 (N = 4296) and studied at four points between the ages of 16 and 27 years to analyze the effect of adolescent smoking on abdominal obesity and overweight in early adulthood.


RESULTS
Smoking at least 10 cigarettes daily when aged 16 to 18 years increased the risk of adult abdominal obesity (odds ratio [OR]=1.77; 95% confidence interval [CI] = 1.39, 2.26). After we adjusted for confounders, the OR was 1.44 (95% CI = 1.11, 1.88), and after further adjustment for current body mass index (BMI), the OR was 1.34 (95% CI = 0.95, 1.88). Adolescent smoking significantly increased the risk of becoming overweight among women even after adjustment for possible confounders, including baseline BMI (OR = 1.74; 95% CI = 1.06, 2.88).


CONCLUSIONS
Smoking is a risk factor for abdominal obesity among both genders and for overweight in women. The prevention of smoking during adolescence may play an important role in promoting healthy weight and in decreasing the morbidity related to abdominal obesity.
Saarni
Suoma E
SE
Department of Public Health, University of Helsinki, Helsinki, Finland. suoma.saarni@helsinki.fi
Pietiläinen
Kirsi
K
Kantonen
Suvi
S
Rissanen
Aila
A
Kaprio
Jaakko
J
D050153:Abdominal Fat; D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D015331:Cohort Studies; D005260:Female; D005387:Finland / Q000453:epidemiology; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D009765:Obesity; D016017:Odds Ratio; D050177:Overweight / Q000453:epidemiology; D012907:Smoking / Q000453:epidemiology*; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D018433:Twin Studies as Topic; D055815:Young Adult