Smoking doesnt make girls skinny but does make boys short

Busting a myth around smoking a new study has revealed that while smoking doesn't make girls skinny, it does hinder growth in their teenage male counterparts.

Canadian researchers examined 1,250 youngsters from age 12 to17 and compared smokers to the non-smokers every three months.

The findings revealed that teenage girls whom smoke do not loose weight and had similar height and body mass index (BMI).

The study also found that teenage boys were likely to be shorter by 2.54 centimetres than those who do not smoke.

"Teenage girls who are unhappy about their weight often take up smoking because they think it will make them thinner," Sydney Morning Herald quoted Quit executive director Fiona Sharkie, as saying.

"However, this study shows smoking has no impact on weight loss or weight control for young women," she added.

Sharkie believes that the findings would discourage young girls and boys from smoking.

"Sometimes we forget that boys are just as concerned about their body image. But I think these findings send a message to teenagers of both sexes that smoking has no physical benefits," she said.