Predictors of regular cigarette smoking among adolescent females: does body image matter?

This study examined how factors associated with body image predict regular smoking in adolescent females. Data were from the National Longitudinal Study of Adolescent Health (Add Health), a study of health-related behaviors in a nationally representative sample of adolescents in grades 7 through 12. Females in Waves I and II (n = 6,956) were used for this study. Using SUDAAN to adjust for the sampling frame, univariate and multivariate analyses were performed to investigate if baseline body image factors, including perceived weight, perceived physical development, trying to lose weight, and self-esteem, were predictive of regular smoking status 1 year later. In univariate analyses, perceived weight (p<.01), perceived physical development (p<.0001), trying to lose weight (p<.05), and self-esteem (p<.0001) significantly predicted regular smoking 1 year later. In the logistic regression model, perceived physical development (p<.05), and self-esteem (p<.001) significantly predicted regular smoking. The more developed a female reported being in comparison to other females her age, the more likely she was to be a regular smoker. Lower self-esteem was predictive of regular smoking. Perceived weight and trying to lose weight failed to reach statistical significance in the multivariate model. This current study highlights the importance of perceived physical development and self-esteem when predicting regular smoking in adolescent females. Efforts to promote positive self-esteem in young females may be an important strategy when creating interventions to reduce regular cigarette smoking.