Teens resorting to smoking, drinking, says study

​Hyderabad: A study by a local senior social scientist has found that teenagers were resorting to smoking and drinking after being influenced by the visuals of celebrities available in mass media and internet.

The 2014-15 study in which 517 teenagers from Hyderabad and Secunderabad participated was carried out by Mekam Maheshwar, who is the Deputy Director of the National Institute of Nutrition in the city.

The research entitled ‘Influence of mass media on teenagers’ diet and health-related behaviour’ was done as part of his doctoral thesis for Osmania University.The study reveals that 15 per cent of the boys smoked cigarettes or consumed alcohol on more than one occasion to imitate media visuals involving film stars and celebrities.

These visuals are from movies, television and the internet. The study observed, “Of all the commercial food and beverage products endorsed by celebrities, soft drinks are the most popular among teenagers. Almost two-thirds of the teenagers consume or prefer to have soft drinks endorsed by celebrities.

Of them, half of the adolescents pester their parents to purchase food and beverages endorsed by celebrities. A whopping three-fourth of teenage girls in poor families is highly influenced and consumes commercial food products endorsed by celebrities.”

“Film stars and sportspersons stand as prime motivators for teenagers to do physical exercise. A majority of the teenagers informed that they tend to take one or other kind of physical fitness activity whenever they see a fit body of film actors/ actress and sportspersons,” according to the study.

It was also found that more than one-third of teenagers do not do any physical activity. The primary reasons they mentioned for lack of physical activity were "homework pressure" and "lack of playground" and also "watching television or browsing the internet".