10-year-olds smoke, binge on junk food to ease exam stress

Children as young as 10 are smoking cigarettes, gorging on junk food, and drinking energy drinks to prepare for exams, research has found.

A poll of more than 1,000 youngsters who took Key Stage Two SATs (papers taken in England by pupils in year six, when they are 10/11, as part of a national curriculum assessment programme) last year found eight had smoked before the tests, 37 ate chocolate, and 30 drank the high-sugar energy drinks.

The survey revealed that some 55% of youngsters feared getting bad results would affect their future lives.