In a disturbing trend, 30 per cent of kids – both boys and girls – in India want to be smokers when they grow up, the highest in a study conducted in six nations.

The study, examining the reach of tobacco marketing to five and six year olds in six low– and middle–income countries –– Brazil, Russia, India, Nigeria, Pakistan, and China–– where adult smoking rates are the highest, according to the World Health Organization.

The children were asked to match logos with pictures of products, including 8 logos for cigarette brands. Analyses examined, overall and by country, whether gender, age, location, household use of tobacco, and knowledge of media characters were associated with awareness of cigarette brand logos, the study in the journal Pediatrics said.

"Children were also asked if they intended to smoke when they grew up. The highest yes rate was in India, where 30 per cent –– both boys and girls –– said they planned to be smokers as adults," the study said.

In China, Nigeria, Pakistan and Russia, boys were more likely than girls to say they would smoke as adults.

The research was conducted in selected urban rural areas in the host countries, and researchers said they endeavored to include children who were "typical" and not from wealthier communities where awareness of tobacco marketing might be higher.

All children were shown well–known Marlboro and Camel logos, along with local brands that were distinct to their country.

"We would show them a logo and they would have to pick up a card with the product," said lead author Dina Borzekowski of the University of Maryland.

The highest recognition rates were in China, where 86 per cent of children could identify at least one cigarette brand logo.

"In China, on average, kids knew almost four out of eight of the brands," Borzekowski said.

At the other end of the spectrum was Russia, where 50 per cent of children studied knew at least one cigarette logo.

More than a quarter of all children studied could identify two to three cigarette brands, and 18 per cent knew four or more, the study said.

According to the findings of the study, overall, 68 per cent of five and six year olds could identify at least one brand logo, ranging from 50 per cent in Russia to 86 per cent in China.

Across countries, being slightly older and having someone in the household who used tobacco, were significantly associated with greater odds of being able to identify at least one cigarette brand logo.

The study concluded that majority of young children from low– and middle–income countries are familiar with cigarette brands and the findings suggest that more effective measures are needed to restrict the reach of tobacco marketing.