Children of Divorce Are More Likely to Smoke
By Kimberly Horner
More bad news for kids with divorced parents - it turns out these kiddos may be more likely to smoke later in life than their peers with married parents, according to recent study conducted byresearchers from the University of Toronto.
Plus: Raising Healthy, Happy Kids Through a Divorce
"Finding this link between parental divorce and smoking is very disturbing," said Esme Fuller-Thomson, lead author of the study in a news release.
The study analyzed the "adverse childhood experiences" and smoking habits of 19,000 adults, ultimately finding that those who were exposed to separation or divorce in childhood were more likely to smoke as adults.
When their parents divorced before their 18 th birthday, women were 39 percent more likely to smoke 100 or more cigarettes in their lifetime; men were 48 percent more likely to smoke.
Plus: Tips for Tobacco-Free Kids
Still, although this study did find a strong link between divorce and smoking, it in no way proves that one causes the other.
"These findings underscore the need for future research," writes Fuller-Thomson in the conclusion of the study.
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