Skip to main page content
U.S. flag

An official website of the United States government

Dot gov

The .gov means it’s official.
Federal government websites often end in .gov or .mil. Before sharing sensitive information, make sure you’re on a federal government site.

Https

The site is secure.
The https:// ensures that you are connecting to the official website and that any information you provide is encrypted and transmitted securely.

Access keys NCBI Homepage MyNCBI Homepage Main Content Main Navigation
. 2017 May 1;41(3):338-347.
doi: 10.5993/AJHB.41.3.13.

Obesity and Cigarette Smoking: Extending the Link to E-cigarette/Vaping Use

H Isabella Lanza  1 , Patricia Pittman  2 , Jennifer Batshoun  2
Affiliations

Obesity and Cigarette Smoking: Extending the Link to E-cigarette/Vaping Use

H Isabella Lanza et al. Am J Health Behav. .

Abstract

Objectives: In recent years, electronic tobacco (e-cigarette/vaping) use among young adults has grown exponentially. Given past research linking obesity and cigarette smoking, assessing whether this relationship extends to electronic tobacco use is warranted. The current study examined weight status as a correlate of substance use patterns reflecting electronic tobacco use.

Methods: Survey data were collected from a convenience sample of 452 (59% female) undergraduates attending a large, public university during the 2015-2016 academic year. Latent class analysis (LCA) was conducted to identify substance use classes and examine weight status as a covariate of class membership.

Results: LCA analyses identified 4 classes: High Substance Use (19%), Risky Alcohol Use (14%), Cigarette/Electronic Tobacco Use (17%), and Low Substance Use (50%). Both obesity status and greater deviation from one's group body mass index (BMI) norm were associated with a higher likelihood of belonging to the Cigarette/Electronic Tobacco Use class.

Conclusions: Findings suggest that electronic tobacco use may fit well into previously established relationships between higher weight status and tobacco use. Future research should examine the longitudinal processes and pathways underlying the relationship between weight status and electronic tobacco use.

PubMed Disclaimer

Conflict of interest statement

Conflict of Interest Statement

The authors report no conflict of interest.

Figures

Figure 1
Figure 1
Substance Use Classes among Young Adults: Item-response Probabilities
See this image and copyright information in PMC

References

    1. McMillen RC, Gottlieb MA, Shaefer RW, et al. Trends in electronic cigarette use among U.S. adults: use is increasing in both smokers and nonsmokers. NicotineTob Res. 2015;17(10):1195–1202. - PubMed
    1. Weaver SR, Majeed BA, Pechacek TF, et al. Use of electronic nicotine delivery systems and other tobacco products among USA adults, 2014: results from a national survey. Int J Public Health. 2016;61(2):177–188. - PMC - PubMed
    1. Delnevo CD, Giovenco DP, Steinberg MB, et al. Patterns of electronic cigarette use among adults in the United States. Nicotine Tob Res. 2016;18(5):715–719. - PMC - PubMed
    1. Johnson LD, O’Malley PM, Bachman JG, et al. Monitoring the Future National Survey Results on Drug Use, 1975–2014: Volume 2, College Students and Adults Ages 19–55. Ann Arbor, MI: Institute for Social Research, The University of Michigan; 2016.
    1. Kenne DR, Mix D, Banks M, Fischbein R. Electronic cigarette initiation and correlates of use among never, former, and current tobacco cigarette smoking college students. J Subst Use. 2016;5:491–494.