The 13th World Conference on Tobacco OR Health

Objective: Despite the alarming revival and dramatic increase in popularity of waterpipe smoking, especially in the Middle East, little is known about its prevalence and time trends among adolescents in Iran and even in the region. This school-based study aimed at determining the pattern of waterpipe use and its changes among an Iranian adolescent population.

Methods: Two cross-sectional studies (2003, 2005) were conducted on 4825 and 2768 schoolchildren of both sexes, age range 10-18 years, from guidance and high schools of eastern Tehran, Iran, as part of Tehran Lipid and Glucose Study (TLGS). Using a self-administered and anonymous questionnaire, the pattern of cigarette and waterpipe smoking were determined in each survey. Lifetime and current (in the 30 days preceding the survey) waterpipe/cigarette smoking were studied and compared between two surveys in different grades and sexes.

Results: The prevalence of lifetime waterpipe smoking in boys increased from 63.6% to 64.4% and in girls from 48.8% to 51.3% (p<0.01) in 2005 compared with 2003. Regarding current waterpipe smoking, the figure rose from 35.5% to 40.9% in boys (p<0.01) and from 19.7% to 26.1% in girls (p<0.01). The boys/girls ratio for current waterpipe use was 1.8:1.0 and 1.6:1.0 and for cigarette use was 8.0:1.0 and 6.1:1.0 in 2003 and 2005, respectively. The high and rising prevalence of current waterpipe smoking among Iranian adolescents can be alarming sign, indicating an increase in the regular tobacco use in future. Thus policy makers must pay attention to waterpipe smoking in youth as much as cigarette smoking in health interventions.