Evidence for a Causal Relationship Between Academic Achievement and Cigarette Smoking.

ABSTRACT:

Introduction

Academic achievement (AA) is associated with smoking rates. Can we determine the degree to which this relationship is likely a causal one?

Methods

We predict smoking in male conscripts (mean age 18.2) assessed from 1984 to 1991 (N = 233 248) and pregnant females (mean age 27.7) receiving prenatal care 1972-1990 (N = 494 995) from AA assessed in all students at 16. Instrumental variable (IV) analyses used the instrument month-of-birth as in each school year, older children have high AA. Co-relative analyses used AA-smoking associations in the population, cousins and siblings to predict the AA-smoking relationship in MZ twins, thereby controlling for familial confounding.

Results

In males, higher AA was associated with a substantial decrease in risk for smo

SUBMITTER: Kendler KS 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC8428949 | biostudies-literature | 2021 Jan

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature