Teens in sports less likely to smoke

LEBANON, N.H., July 10 (UPI) -- Teens who participate in sports are less likely to become smokers, but exposure to movies increased the likelihood of teen smoking, U.S. researchers said.

Anna M. Adachi-Mejia of Hood Center for Children and Families at the Dartmouth Medical School in Lebanon, N.H., and colleagues analyzed data from school- and telephone-based surveys that assessed movie smoking exposure and team sports participation.

The data involved 2,048 youths from September 1999-November 1999 and February 2006-February 2007.

Baseline movie smoking exposure was reported when respondents were ages 9-14 and team sport participation was assessed at ages 16-21.

The study, published in the Archives of Pediatrics & Adolescent Medicine, found those with exposure to the highest quartile of movie smoking compared to those with exposure to the lowest quartile were more likely to become established smokers.

Although team sports non-participants were twice as likely to become established smokers as sports participants, the proportion of established smokers increased in both groups from lowest to highest levels of movie smoking exposure by the same amount -- 19.3 percent.