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Objectives. We sought to fill gaps in knowledge of smoking behaviors among college-educated and non-college-educated young adults. Methods. We used data from the 2003 Tobacco Use Supplement of the Current Population Survey to analyze smoking behaviors among young adults aged 18-24 years and older young adults aged 25-34 years by college status (enrolled, or with a degree, but not enrolled) and other measures of socioeconomic position. Results. Current smoking prevalence among US young adults aged 18-24 years who are not enrolled in college or who do not have a college degree was 30%. This was more than twice the current smoking prevalence among college-educated young adults (14%). Non-college-educated young adults were more likely than were college-educated young adults to start smoking at a younger age and were less likely to have made a quit attempt, although no differences were found in their intentions to quit. Higher rates of smoking in the non-college-educated population were also evident in the slightly older age group. Conclusions. Non-college-educated young adults smoke at more than twice the rate of their college-educated counterparts. Targeted prevention and cessation efforts are needed for non-college-educated young adults to prevent excess morbidity and mortality in later years. (Am J Public Health. 2007;97:1427-1433. doi:10.2105/ AJPH.2006.103945) [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objectives To describe the prevalence of obesity, smoking, and both health risk factors together among adults in the United States. Design Cross sectional analysis of a national health interview survey. Setting United States. Participants 29 305 adults (aged 18) in 2002. Main outcome measures Prevalence of adults who are obese (body mass index ≥ 30), who smoke, and who are obese and smoke. Prevalence was stratified by age, sex, ethnic group, education, and income. Results 23.5% of adults were obese, 22.7% smoked, and 4.7% smoked and were obese. Conclusions Although the proportion of adults who smoke and are obese is relatively low, this subgroup is concentrated among lower socioeconomic groups. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]