Smoking combustible cigarettes comes with a long list of various health risks, including lung cancer, heart disease, and respiratory problems. However, there are other ailments associated with prolonged exposure to tobacco that are often overlooked, like the impact of smoking on physical growth. If you want to learn more about the link between smoking and stunted growth, continue reading to examine some of the evidence.
The effects of smoking on growth
While smoking during adolescence can cause an assortment of health issues, depending on the age of the user and their consumption amount, stunted growth is among these concerns. Nicotine, the addictive component of tobacco, can interfere with the production of growth hormones and disrupt the natural process. In addition, smoking combustible cigarettes also affects one’s appetite, which can further contribute to impaired growth for youth.
What evidence supports this?
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), four in every 100 middle schoolers and one in six high school students use tobacco products. Since the average girl grows until 15 years old and the average boy continues to develop into their early ‘20s, this can be very problematic.
Numerous studies have investigated the relationship between smoking and stunted growth. One study published in the Journal of Adolescent Health found that teenagers who smoked had significantly lower height and weight compared to their non-smoking counterparts. Another study in the American Journal of Public Health suggested that smoking during adolescence was associated with a reduction in final adult height.
While there is a link between smoking and stunted growth, other factors such as genetic predisposition, nutrition, and socioeconomic status can also influence growth patterns.
It’s never too late to quit
Although youth are in a critical phase of growth and development, that growth and development continue into adulthood. This means that the sooner you quit smoking the more positive changes there will be in your health outcomes.
E-cigs, along with other smoking cessation aids like nicotine gum or lozenges, are great quit-smoking tools that allow the user to lower their nicotine intake at a timeline that works for them. This means that individuals can wave goodbye to the harmful effects of tobacco without combating the symptoms of nicotine withdrawal. Since the best e-cigs to quit smoking are different for all ex-smokers, we recommend that you read some reviews before purchasing your device. You should also be open to trying different units, as the best e-cig to quit smoking might change as you require less nicotine intake.
Do you have a recommendation for the best e-cig to quit smoking? Drop a comment below to share with our readers.
