The relationship between sports performance, physical activity and e-cigarette use among Australian adolescents: A qualitative study
Introduction In 2022–2023, 30% of Australian adolescents aged 12–17 years had used electronic cigarettes (e-cigarettes). Adolescents are particularly vulnerable to the negative health impacts of e-cigarettes. Although sport and physical activity participation have been postulated as potential protec...
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| Main Authors: | , , , , |
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
| Published: |
European Publishing
2025-03-01
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| Series: | Tobacco Induced Diseases |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | https://www.tobaccoinduceddiseases.org/The-relationship-between-sports-performance-physical-activity-and-e-cigarette-use,199474,0,2.html |
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| Summary: | Introduction
In 2022–2023, 30% of Australian adolescents aged 12–17 years had
used electronic cigarettes (e-cigarettes). Adolescents are particularly vulnerable
to the negative health impacts of e-cigarettes. Although sport and physical
activity participation have been postulated as potential protective factors against
e-cigarette use, evidence on their relationship is limited and no qualitative data are
available. This study aims to qualitatively explore the relationship of e-cigarette
use, sport participation and physical activity, among Australian adolescents aged
14–17 years.
Methods
A total of 96 participants aged 14–17 years completed 78 online single
or paired semi-structured qualitative interviews, as part of the Generation Vape
project, during February–May 2023. All discussion was unprompted. Reflexive
thematic analysis was applied and inductive coding undertaken.
Results
Of the 96 participants, 52 (54%) volunteered data relating to this topic.
Sport participation and athletic performance were perceived as key drivers of
protective adolescent e-cigarette use behaviors including abstinence, cessation
and ‘responsible use’. Most current and former users reported experiencing health
harms attributed to e-cigarettes – predominantly shortness of breath – during dayto-
day physical activity such as walking or climbing the stairs and during sporting
activities. Some users reported no difference in fitness attributable to e-cigarette
use and former users reported improvements after quitting.
Conclusions
Sport participation was considered important by adolescents and related
it to e-cigarette patterns of use; and e-cigarette users described experiencing
negative health effects in sport and fitness settings. E-cigarette use in adolescents
may jeopardize the physical, mental and social benefits of engaging in sport and
recreational physical activity. There is a need for greater regulation of e-cigarette
industry sponsorship of sport to reduce adolescent exposure to e-cigarette
marketing and promotion. E-cigarette prevention campaigns that highlight
impacts on sport maybe an effective intervention to support overall adolescent
wellbeing. |
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| ISSN: | 1617-9625 |