Beginning to Smoke Before Age 15 Increases Risk for COPD

TUESDAY, Jan. 14, 2024 (HealthDay News) — Beginning cigarette smoking before 15 years of age is significantly associated with later chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) risk, according to a study recently published online in Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Diseases: Journal of the COPD Foundation.

Jenny E. Ozga, Ph.D., from Westat in Rockville, Maryland, and colleagues examined whether childhood smoking before age 15 years increases the likelihood of a person developing COPD later in life, when accounting for possible secondhand smoke exposure. The analysis included adults (40 years and older) participating in the Population Assessment of Tobacco and Health study.

The researchers found that the overall weighted prevalence of COPD was 13.4 percent but ranged from 7.5 percent for adults who never smoked to 29.0 percent for adults who initiated during childhood (younger than 15 years). Participants who initiated cigarette smoking at younger than 15 years had a higher prevalence of COPD, higher prevalence of current smoking, longer smoking duration, and greater cigarette pack years for respondents compared with those starting at older than 15 years. Childhood smoking was significantly associated with an increased risk for COPD (adjusted risk ratio, 1.40) compared with those who started at 20 years and older. Findings were independent of cigarette pack years, current smoking status, secondhand smoke exposure, and smoking duration.

“Physicians should consider talking to their young patients about childhood cigarette smoking, informing them about the potential long-term impacts regarding disease risk,” the authors write.

Abstract/Full Text