Inter-generational concordance of smoking status between mothers and young people aged 10–15 in the UK

Smoking habits are laid down in adolescence,1 a habit that will kill half of those who continue to smoke through adulthood. Having a parent, and particularly a mother, who smokes, elevates the risk of adolescent smoking.2, 3 and 4 Both maternal and adolescent smoking statuses are, in turn, related to wider familial factors. Poorer family circumstances increases the risk of adolescent smoking;5 compared to young people living with both parents, those in lone-mother families are also more likely to be smokers.4 In addition, there are marked ethnic differences in adolescent smoking; for example in the UK, prevalence is lower among Asian and African-Caribbean groups than in white groups6 and in the US, rates are lower among African-Americans than among both Hispanic and white groups.