Association between cigarette consumption and academic achievement in Korean adolescents

Abstract

Aims: The purpose of this study was to examine whether smoking frequency and cigarette consumption are related to academic achievement in Korean adolescents. Method: Data from the Seventh Korea Youth Risk Behavior Web-based Survey (KYRBWS-VII) administered in 2011 were analyzed; 75,643 adolescents from the first year of middle school through the third year of high school participated in the survey. We used multivariate logistic regression analysis to investigate the association in question after adjusting for variables such as age, body mass index, frequency of drinking, frequency of breakfast consumption, parents’ education level, family economic status, mental stress and the frequency of vigorous physical activity (PA), moderate PA and muscular strength exercises. Results: The odds ratios (ORs) for achieving average or higher academic achievement in boys compared with those who never smoked and stratified by the frequency of smoking were as follows: 1–2 day(s) per month, 0.594 (p < 0.001); 3–5 days per month, 0.571 (p < 0.001); 6–9 days per month, 0.529 (p < 0.001); 10–19 days per month, 0.472 (p < 0.001); 20–29 days per month, 0.491 (p < 0.001) and every day, 0.342 (p < 0.001). For girls, the ORs for achieving average or higher academic achievement compared with those who never smoked and stratified by the frequency of smoking were as follows: 1–2 day(s) per month, 0.482 (p < 0.001); 3–5 days per month, 0.409 (p < 0.001); 6–9 days per month, 0.648 (p = 0.037); 10–19 days per month, 0.723 (p = 0.032); 20–29 days per month, 0.543 (p < 0.001) and every day, 0.433 (p < 0.001). The ORs in boys for achieving average or higher academic achievement compared with those who never smoked and stratified by cigarette consumption were as follows: <1 cigarette per day, 0.656 (p < 0.001); 1 cigarette per day, 0.541 (p < 0.001); 2–5 cigarettes per day, 0.446 (p < 0.001); 6–9 cigarettes per day, 0.375 (p < 0.001); 10–19 cigarettes per day, 0.281 (p < 0.001) and ≥20 cigarettes per day, 0.340 (p < 0.001). For girls, the ORs for achieving average or higher academic achievement compared with those who never smoked and stratified by cigarette consumption were as follows: <1 cigarette per day, 0.550 (p < 0.001); 1 cigarette per day, 0.507 (p < 0.001); 2–5 cigarettes per day, 0.549 (p < 0.001); 6–9 cigarettes per day, 0.356 (p < 0.001); 10–19 cigarettes per day, 0.353 (p < 0.001) and ≥20 cigarettes per day, 0.729 (p = 0.242). Conclusion: There are certain indicators that smoking negatively influences educational achievement in Korean adolescents. To improve academic achievement, it is recommended that adolescents do not smoke.