An active childhood could reduce smoking rates

The research, conducted by the Universities of Bristol and Exeter in partnership with the University of Eastern Finland, was published in the Journal of Behaviour Research and Therapy.

Childhood and teenage tobacco smoking is a preventable risk factor for premature structural and functional cardiac damage already in the mid-twenties. Physical activity intervention studies have reported reduced smoking rates among adults. However, physical activity studies in preventing smoking in children and adolescents have been inconclusive due to short study durations, small population sizes, and lack of accelerometer-measured physical activity data.

The study is the largest follow-up of accelerometer-based MVPA and smoking behaviour in the young population in the world.