Low Self-Esteem for Physical Appearance Mediates the Effect of Body Mass Index on Smoking Initiation Among Adolescents

Adolescence is a period during which youth may begin experimenting with substances. Youth with overweight or obesity may be at increased risk for substance use, including cigarette smoking. Understanding the associations between smoking and excess weight and the pathways associated with increased likelihood for smoking initiation is of particular importance given the increased risk for negative health outcomes associated with each.Using...