| Abstract |
Although chronic diseases mainly occur in adulthood, the behavioral risk factors (physical inactivity, watching TV, high body weight, smoking, alcohol consumption) frequently start in childhood and adolescence. Also, adolescent drivers, mostly boys, participating in dangerous driving behaviors are involved in traffic accidents resulting in dangerous injuries.
The purpose of this study was to assess the coexistence (clustering) of behavioral risk factors (BRFs) for chronic noncommunicable diseases (NCDs) and correlations of these factors to diet among adolescents in Crete. Specifically, 582 adolescents 14-16.6 years old were monitoring in 2002 by the Department of Preventive Medicine and Nutrition at the Medical School of the University of Crete, 6 BRFs were evaluated (smoking, physical inactivity, watching TV, alcohol consumption, high body weight, injuries and accidents) and a clustering score of 0, 1, 2 or 3+ BRFs was calculated. Also, the quality of their diet was evaluated and associated with the clustering of BRFs.
Physical inactivity was the most prevalent risk factor (48.1%), whereas accidents were the least prevalent (6.2%). Approximately 10.5% of the adolescents displayed none of the 6 BRFs, while 21.6% displayed multiple grouping or 3+ factors (boys: 26.4%, girls: 17.5%, p≥0.05). Compared to adolescents with no BRFs, adolescents with 3+ BRFs, had a significantly lower mean intake of dietary fiber (15.7 versus 18.2 g, p-trend=0.040), vitamin A (597 vs. 1021 g, p- trend=0.004), C (120.9 vs. 161.9 mg, p-trend=0.031), fruit and vegetable intake (238 vs. 309 g, p <0.05) and Healthy Eating Index levels (HEI) (56.4 vs. 61.4, p-trend<0.05). On the other hand, they had a higher energy density index (1.59 vs.
Public Health & Health Care Management
Faculty of Medicine – University of Crete
4
1.41 kcal/g, p<0.05). Finally, 34.5% of the adolescents with 3+ BRFs had "poor" diet, in contrast to 25.0% of those with no BRFs (p-trend=0.051).
In conclusion, the fruit and vegetable intake and energy intake was associated with the clustering of the BRFs. It is also apparent, according to the HEI, that the quality of nutrition of the adolescents needs improvement. The implementation of national policy on nutrition, physical activity and health issues is crucial. Public health providers, through primary prevention, should contribute to the minimization of behavioral risk factors and adoption of healthy dietary choices by adolescents.
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Συμπεριφορικοί παράγοντες κινδύνου για χρόνια νοσήματα εφήβων της Κρήτης σε σχέση με τις συνήθειες διατροφή τους
