Does the “Healthy Immigrant Effect” Extend to Smoking in Immigrant Children?

O'Loughlin, Jennifer; Maximova, Katerina; Fraser, Keely; Gray-Donald, Katherine

doi:10.1016/j.jadohealth.2009.08.005

« Previous Next »Journal of Adolescent Health
Volume 46, Issue 3 , Pages 299-301, March 2010

Does the “Healthy Immigrant Effect” Extend to Smoking in Immigrant Children?

Jennifer O'Loughlin, Ph.D.
- Department of Social and Preventive Medicine, Université de Montréal, Montréal, Quebec, Canada
- Centre de recherche du Centre Hospitalier de l'Université de Montréal, Montréal, Quebec, Canada
- Address correspondence to: Jennifer O'Loughlin, Ph.D., Centre de recherche du Centre Hospitalier de l'Université de Montréal, 3875 St Urbain, Montréal, Québec, H2W 1V1, Canada.
Katerina Maximova, M.A.
- Department of Epidemiology, Biostatistics and Occupational Health, McGill University, Montreal, Quebec, Canada
Keely Fraser, M.Sc.
- Centre de recherche du Centre Hospitalier de l'Université de Montréal, Montréal, Quebec, Canada
Katherine Gray-Donald, Ph.D.
- Department of Epidemiology, Biostatistics and Occupational Health, McGill University, Montreal, Quebec, Canada
- School of Dietetics and Human Nutrition, McGill University, Montréal, Quebec, Canada

Received 5 May 2009; accepted 19 August 2009. published online 12 October 2009.

The “healthy immigrant effect” may apply to lifestyle-related behaviors in immigrant children. In a cross-sectional study of 1,959 children aged 9–12 years, the number of years lived in Canada was related to an increased risk of smoking among immigrant children. Interventions may be needed for immigrant children to prevent the adoption of unhealthy behaviors prevalent in their new host environments.

Keywords: Smoking, Children, Healthy immigrant effect