The low prevalence of female smoking in the developing world: gender inequality or maternal adaptations for fetal protection?

ABSTRACT:

Background

Female smoking prevalence is dramatically lower in developing countries (3.1%) than developed countries (17.2%), whereas male smoking is similar (32% vs 30.1%). Low female smoking has been linked to high gender inequality. Alternatively, to protect their offspring from teratogenic substances, pregnant and lactating women appear to have evolved aversions to toxic plant substances like nicotine, which are reinforced by cultural proscriptions. Higher total fertility rates (TFRs) in developing countries could therefore explain their lower prevalence of female smoking.

Objective

To compare the associations of TFR and gender inequality with national prevalence rates of female and male smoking.

Methods

Data from a previous study of smoking prevalence vs gender ine

SUBMITTER: Hagen EH 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC4931906 | biostudies-literature | 2016

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature