Many disadvantaged teen women see cigarettes as a status symbol. Cigarettes provide a substitute for a lack of material possessions and make them feel less deprived. Membership on a sport team or in a sports club offers status. Most teenagers perceive athletes to be successful and well liked. Participation in high school athletics may be particularly helpful to improving the status of teenage girls from minority groups.
Smoking is perceived as an appropriate way to control weight.
Regular physical activity is essential to maintaining a healthy weight. In addition to the benefits described above, physical activity can have a positive influence on self-esteem. Not only do girls who take part in physical activity programs master important physical skills, they also improve their social skills and gain status among their peers. At the same time adolescent girls start smoking, they're also likely to be opting out of most formal and informal physical activity programs. For many girls today, dieting and worrying about their weight is a full-time preoccupation.