Beyond the U-curve:: the relationship between sport and alcohol, cigarette and cannabis use in adolescents

Aims This study aimed at increasing understanding of the relationship between sporting activities and alcohol, cigarette and cannabis use among adolescents, by examining gender, age and the context of sporting practice. Design, setting, subjects The study was a national school survey (n = 10807: ages 14-19 years) conducted in France in 1999. Measures Respondents were asked confidentially by self-administered questionnaire (pen and paper) about their use of licit and illicit drugs and life-style (including sporting activities outside school: hours per week, registration in a club, type of sport). Findings The U-shaped curve between the intensity of physical activities and licit and illicit drug use appeared not to be systematic. It depended mainly on the product and the level of use. It only remained significant for boys and heavy smoking once gender and age effect were taken into account. Conclusion The results stress the need to control for age and gender when the survey participants are teenagers. The relationship between drug use and sporting activity also depends on the type of sport.