A new study finds that white teens who watch a lot of R-rated movies or have unsupervised access to TV are more likely to start smoking than black youths with similar habits and privileges, Reuters reported March 5.

The study found that white youth ages 12-14 who were heavily exposed to R-rated movies -- many of which depict smoking -- were seven times more likely to smoke than those with less exposure. No similar impact was observed among black youth who watched a lot of R-rated movies.

"Because the majority of contemporary screen actors are white, it follows that experiencing identification and subsequent involvement in the narratives of popular movies and television programs is less likely among black adolescents than among white," the study said.

The researchers controlled for other factors like having friends who smoke and lack of parental guidance.

The study appears in the March 2007 issue of the Archives of Pediatrics and Adolescent Medicine.