Mentholated cigarettes or weight problems, which came first

Abstract

Obesity, defined as a body mass index (BMI ≥30), has reached epidemic proportions in the United States and it is one of the nation’s leading public health challenges. Obesity rates for males and females in the U.S. had been similar, however,1–3 more recently just over 40 percent of women are obese, compared to 35 percent of men. These rates are of high concern when compared to the 15 percent of women worldwide. Aggressive tobacco industry advertising have resulted in over 20 million female smokers in the United States.4 For years, the tobacco industry has exploited the belief that smoking is helpful in controlling weight, to influence commencement and continuation of smoking.1-3 Adults do not only use smoking as a method for weight control; adolescents who have dieted or are constantly concerned with weight are also more likely to start smoking.5–7 Notably, these observations were gender and specific, significant among females, but not among males.5–7