Physical exercise, sports, and lung function in smokingversusnonsmoking adolescents

Abstract

Associations between adolescent smoking habits and exercise, particularly participation in sports and lung function were studied.All students aged 13-19 yrs in Nord-Trøndelag County, Norway, 1995, were invited to join a cross-sectional study. Information on smoking habits and exercise was obtained by self-administered questionnaire. Spirometry was performed in accordance with American Thoracic Society standards.Of the 6,811 students (aged 13-18 yrs, without asthma), 2,993 (44%) reported neversmoking, and 1,342 (20%) reported current smoking (10% daily). Frequency of physical exercise was inversely associated with smoking, but participants in individual sports with lesser endurance, especially body-building and fighting sports, were more likely to be daily smokers than nonparticipants. Both daily (53%) and occasional smokers (43%) were more likely to have quit sports than never-smokers (26%). Never-smokers showed a positive dose-response between physical exercise and lung function (forced vital capacity and forced expiratory volume in one second, adjusted for age and height). No similar significant association was observed in daily smokers.These data suggest that smoking habits in different sports should be considered when promoting physical activity as smoking prevention, and sports organizations should include smoking prevention programmes. Adolescents with better lung function may self-select into sports; this possibility needs to be studied in a longitudinal design.

A Study on Pulmonary Function of Adolescent Bengalee Trainee Bharatnatyam Dancers

“…The findings are in agreement with the observations from the other study carried out on adolescent males and females depicting that as the exercise level increases, FVC, FEV 1 value increases [11]. PEFR, an effort dependent value which can easily detect airway obstruction, is higher in DG study participants compared to their CG counterparts; this finding is in consonance with the observations of Chaitra et al [10] in which moderate intensity aerobic training of young Indian males improved pulmonary function variables FVC, FEV 1 , and PEFR but not FEV 1 %.…”

High prevalence of smoking in Northern Greece

“…This attitude is also detected in a study of 1,462 students from Italy, where the correlation between exercise and smoking showed that whereas smoking incidence increases according to age, exercising persons present an opposite trend [14]. Also, the frequency of physical exercise is inversely associated with smoking [15]. Participating in exercise and avoiding smoking are linked.…”

Nível de atividade física e tabagismo em universitários

“…9,10 Esperava-se encontrar uma associação entre tabagismo e sedentarismo, pois o tabagismo é descrito como mais prevalente em indivíduos sedentários e o exercício físico é considerado fator protetor contra seu início. 10,18 A não associação encontrada no presente estudo pode estar relacionada ao baixo consumo diário, uma vez que 69,8% da amostra estudada consome menos que 10 cigarros por dia. Segundo Scobedo et al, 6 o baixo consumo pode difi cultar a identifi cação de associação entre atividade física e tabagismo.…”

“…17 Alguns estudos relatam associação entre sedentarismo e tabagismo. 10,18 Adolescentes fumantes apresentam menores níveis de atividade física, e a atividade física na adolescência interfere no início do tabagismo neste período e em sua manutenção na idade adulta. 9 Além das possíveis associações entre a gênese do tabagismo e do sedentarismo, a prática regular de exercícios físicos pode colaborar para o abandono do hábito tabagístico.…”