Characterization of trajectories of physical activity and cigarette smoking from early adolescence to adulthood

• Type of Material: Article
• Authors: Irish Yuefan Shao, Emory University; Shakira Suglia, Emory University; Weihua An, Emory University; David Mendez, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor; Viola Vaccarino, Emory University; Alvaro Alonso, Emory University
• Language: English
• Date: 2023-12-11
• Publisher: BMC
• Publication Version: Final Published Version
• Copyright Statement: © The Author(s) 2023
• License: Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International
• Final Published Version (URL): https://doi.org/10.1186/s12889-023-17365-1
• Title of Journal or Parent Work: BMC Public Health
• Volume: 23
• Start Page: 2473
• Grant/Funding Information: This research uses data from Add Health, a program project directed by Kathleen Mullan Harris and designed by J. Richard Udry, Peter S. Bearman, and Kathleen Mullan Harris at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, and funded by grant P01-HD31921 from the Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development, with cooperative funding from 23 other federal agencies and foundations. No direct support was received from grant P01-HD31921 for this analysis.; This research uses data from Add Health, funded by grant P01 HD31921 (Harris) from the Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development (NICHD), with cooperative funding from 23 other federal agencies and foundations. Add Health is currently directed by Robert A. Hummer and funded by the National Institute on Aging cooperative agreements U01 AG071448 (Hummer) and U01AG071450 (Aiello and Hummer) at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. Add Health was designed by J. Richard Udry, Peter S. Bearman, and Kathleen Mullan Harris at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. Dr. Shao was supported by U54CA229974 from the National Institutes of Health, National Cancer Institute, and Food and Drug Administration (FDA). Dr. Alonso was supported by grant K24HL148521.
• Keywords: Physical activity; Trajectory analysis; Cigarette smoking; Health behavior
• Research Categories: Health Sciences, Epidemiology; Health Sciences, Public Health

Abstract

Background Cigarette smoking and physical inactivity are two critical risk factors for noncommunicable diseases and all-cause mortality. However, few studies have compared the long-term trajectories of both behaviors, as well as multilevel factors associated with trajectory patterns. Using the National Longitudinal Study of Adolescent to Adult Health (Add Health) Wave I through V survey data, this study characterized distinct subgroups of the population sharing similar behavioral patterns from adolescence to adulthood, as well as predictors of subgroup membership for physical activity (PA) and cigarette smoking behavior respectively. Methods Using the Add Health Wave I through V survey data, we identified the optimal number of latent classes and class-specific trajectories of PA and cigarette smoking from early adolescence to adulthood, fitting latent growth mixture models with standardized PA score and past 30-day cigarette smoking intensity as outcome measures and age as a continuous time variable. Associations of baseline sociodemographic factors, neighborhood characteristics, and sociopsychological factors with trajectory class membership were assessed using multinomial logistic regression. Results We identified three distinct subgroups of non-linear PA trajectories in the study population: moderately active group (N = 1067, 5%), persistently inactive group (N = 14,257, 69%) and worsening activity group (N = 5410, 26%). Foror cigarette smoking, we identified three distinct non-linear trajectory subgroups: persistent non-smoker (N = 14,939, 72%), gradual quitter (N = 2357, 11%), and progressing smoker (N = 3393, 16%). Sex, race/ethnicity, neighborhood environment and perceived peer support during adolescence were significant predictors of both physical activity and cigarette smoking trajectory subgroup membership from early adolescence to adulthood. Conclusions There are three distinct subgroups of individuals sharing similar PA and cigarette smoking behavioral profile respectively from adolescence to adulthood in the Add Health study population. Behavioral interventions that focus on neighborhood environment (e.g. establish community-based activity center) and relationship to peers during adolescence (e.g. peer counseling) could be key to long-term PA promotion and cigarette smoking cessation.