Dieting Leads to Smoking? :

Research into the dieting habits of adolescents revealed that "dieting was a significant predictor of initiation of regular smoking among females."

The same effect was not found in males.

The researchers (from University of Florida) felt there were two reasons for this.

1. The appetite-suppressing ability of Nicotine.
2. A possible link between food deprivation and substance abuse.

The second point is strange - with the lead researcher noting that:

[...] animal studies have shown a link between food deprivation using substances such as tobacco. “If (animals) are extremely food-deprived, they will use more drugs.”

This conjures up an image of a starving rat searching the gutters for cigarette butts.

No one knows exactly why there is a correlation - but researchers warn that if your daughter is dieting, there is a good chance she might start smoking.

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