The developmental course of the link between weight concerns and cigarette use across adolescence: Differences by gender.

ABSTRACT:

Objective

This study aimed to illuminate developmental changes and gender differences in the link between weight concerns and cigarette use across adolescence. Specifically, we examined whether and how the strength of the association between weight concerns and cigarette use changed across adolescence, and whether patterns of association differed between boys and girls.

Method

Participants were 397 predominately White adolescents ages 11-18 years (50.5% female) from a longitudinal observational study conducted in the United States.

Results

Time-varying effect modeling revealed that even after adjusting for BMI, the association between weight concerns and cigarette use was positive and significant for girls from age 11.3 to 15.9, with the strongest association at 12.7 

SUBMITTER: Hochgraf AK 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC8492492 | biostudies-literature | 2021 Oct

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature