Nicotine and Tobaccco Research: Although there are established risks associated with gestational tobacco
smoke exposure, few studies have addressed the metabolic
hazards of domestic exposure in early childhood.
This study prospectively examines the long-term relationship between
early
childhood exposure to household smoke and two
adiposity-related measures at age 10.
Participants from the Quebec Longitudinal Study of Child Development
birth cohort were categorized into one of three groups
of early childhood household exposure to tobacco
smoke over four time points (from ages 1 to 7 years): never-exposed;
transient
exposure; and continuous exposure. Follow-up
measures of BMI and waist circumference were independently assessed at
age 10.
A significant long-term prospective associations between home-based secondhand smoke exposure and unhealthy body fat distribution was found. Waist circumference in youth has become an important risk factor for obesity-related diseases in adulthood. These findings emphasize the importance public health initiatives and parental sensitization aimed at domestic exposure reductions during the critical early childhood years.