Title
Investigation of the effects of smoking on Force Expiratory Volume among adolescents of Colonel
Gray High School.
Aim
Investigate the differences in the lung capacity of smokers and non smoking students to determine
any negative consequences of smoking cigarettes.
Background According to Statistics Canada the rates of smoking among adolescents has been dropping since
2001 (2011). The fact remains, however, that smoking is still a problem among young people in Canada.
Smoking has some serious negative consequences on the growth of lung tissue in young adults (Gold et al.,
1996). In order to measure the lung capacity of students at Colonel Gray High School this research will focus
on the Vital Capacity to measure the amount of air a person can breathe out during a forced breath. It is
common knowledge that smoking damages the lungs and this can result in a loss in their ability to stretch and
hold air. For the purposes of this study a smoker is defined as a person who smokes at least one cigarette per
day and has done so for the past thirty days. A non-smoker is someone who has never met the criteria of a
smoker.
Hypothesis If a person is a smoker then they will have a reduced lung capacity compared to a non-smoker.
Variables
Controlled
age
Independent
smoking status
Dependant
Lung capacity as measured by Vital capacity
geographic location
type of breathing
Procedure
1.
Students were non randomly selected from the general population and asked permission to take
part in the investigation. A copy of the permission statement and smoking criteria is in Appendix A.
2.
After the successful completion of the questionnaire and subjects were deemed eligible the
following steps were taken.
3.
GLX Setup
1.
Connect a PASPORT Spirometer to the top of the GLX. The
Graph Screen will automatically open with Lung Volume
(Liters) versus Time (s).
2.
Open the GLX setup file labeled breath.glx (see the appendix
at the end of this activity). The setup file is set so the
Spirometer records data at 50 measurements per second. The
setup file includes the calculation of lung volume based on
Functional Residual Capacity (assumed to be 2.5 liters) and
Total Flow (liters).
Figure 1: Connect sensor to GLX
Figure 2: Connect
mouthpiece to handle
Equipment Setup
1.
Connect a mouthpiece to the handle; note the small pin on the mouthpiece and the aligning notch on
the handle.
2.
Lay the mouthpiece and handle on a tabletop away from any air currents.
Prepare to Record Data

Data recording is easier if one person handles the GLX, a second person keeps track of the number of
breaths, and a third person does the breathing.

The breathing pattern is as follows: Four normal breaths followed by a very deep breath in
(inspiration) and a very, very deep breath out (expiration) followed by two more normal breaths.

The person who keeps track of breaths should ‘talk’ the person through the breathing by counting and
describing the breaths as follows: One – Two – Three – Four – Deep Breath In – Deep Breath Out – Five
– Six.

The person who is being measured (the ‘breather’) should sit or stand comfortably. The person will
need to breath only through the mouth during the measurement, so the person will need to hold his or
her nose closed during the measurement. The person who is being measured
should NOT look at the data as it is recorded.
Record Data
Indicators
1.
Press the Start key
on the GLX. Note the flashing red WAIT indicator on
the sensor. Wait until the green READY indicator is lit before you move the
mouthpiece and handle.
2.
After the green READY indicator is lit, place the tapered end of the mouthpiece between the
breather’s front teeth with the lips creating a seal around the mouthpiece to make sure that
all breath flows through the mouthpiece.
3.
Have the breather hold his or her nose and then perform the following breathing sequence:

Four normal, quiet breaths.

Deep inspiration (inhalation) followed immediately by a maximum-effort, deep expiration
(exhalation).

Two normal, quiet breaths.
4.
Stop data recording.
Analysis
1.
Use the built-in analysis tools in the Graph Screen to
determine the Tidal Volume (TV), the Forced Expiratory
Volume (FEV1), and the Vital Capacity (VC). In the Graph
Screen, press F3
to open the Tools menu and select
‘Delta Tool’. Use the Delta Tool to find the values you need.
Effects of Cigarette Smoking on Lung
Function in Adolescent Boys and Girls
Diane R. Gold, M.D., M.P.H., Xiaobin Wang, M.D., Sc.D., David Wypij, Ph.D., Frank E.
Speizer, M.D., James H. Ware, Ph.D., and Douglas W. Dockery, Sc.D.
N Engl J Med 1996; 335:931-937September 26, 1996DOI: 10.1056/NEJM199609263351304