title: Lifestyle, health characteristics and alcohol abuse in young adults who are non-daily smokers.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Despite the decline in the prevalence of tobacco use in many countries, including Brazil, there are growing numbers of smokers who continue to smoke at a low daily rate, or less frequently (non-daily smokers). This group needs to be better characterized in order to direct preventive actions and public health policies. The aim here was to compare lifestyle, health characteristics and alcoholism problems among young adult smokers, non-daily smokers and non-smokers.
  
  
  METHODS
  This was a cross-sectional study in which volunteers from the university community and its surrounds in Santa Maria, State of Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil, were included between October 2007 and January 2008.
  
  
  METHODS
  Out of 1240 volunteers initially contacted in a university cafeteria, a total of 728 participants of mean age 22.45 ± 3.32 years were selected for final analysis. Data were collected using structured questionnaires.
  
  
  RESULTS
  In general, it was observed that the non-daily smokers showed intermediate characteristics in relation to the smokers and non-smokers. However, there was a significant association between non-daily smoking and alcohol abuse. The non-daily smokers presented an odds ratio of 2.4 (95% confidence interval: 1.10-5.48) in relation to the daily smokers and an odds ratio of 3.3 (confidence interval: 1.7-6.5) in relation to the non-smokers, with regard to presenting a positive CAGE test, thereby indicating alcohol abuse or dependence.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The study suggested that non-daily smoking and alcohol consumption were concomitant behaviors.
authors.affiliation: Department of Morphology, Health Science Center, UFSM, Santa Maria, Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil.
authors.forename: Maria Izabel de Ugalde Marques da
authors.initials: MI
authors.lastname: Rocha
authors.forename: Juan Pablo
authors.initials: JP
authors.lastname: Barrio-Lera
authors.forename: Gabriel Behr Gomes
authors.initials: GB
authors.lastname: Jardim
authors.forename: Amanda Brondani
authors.initials: AB
authors.lastname: Mucellini
authors.forename: Luiza
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Cirolini
authors.forename: Ivo Emilio da Cruz
authors.initials: IE
authors.lastname: Jung
authors.forename: Maria Fernanda
authors.initials: MF
authors.lastname: Mânica-Cattani
authors.forename: Aron Ferreira da
authors.initials: AF
authors.lastname: Silveira
authors.forename: Olmiro Cezimbra de
authors.initials: OC
authors.lastname: Souza Filho
authors.forename: Ivana Beatrice Mânica da
authors.initials: IB
authors.lastname: Cruz
mesh_terms: D000437:Alcoholism / Q000453:epidemiology*; D001938:Brazil / Q000453:epidemiology; D004812:Epidemiologic Methods; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008019:Life Style; D008297:Male; D008603:Mental Health / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D012907:Smoking / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000523:psychology; D055815:Young Adult