BackgroundSocial capital is associated with health behaviours and health. Our objective was to explore how different dimensions of social capital and health-related behaviours are associated, and whether health behaviours mediate this association between social capital and self-rated health and psychological well-being.MethodsWe used data from the Health 2000 Survey (n=8028) of the adult population in Finland. The response rate varied between 87% (interview) and 77% (the last self-administered questionnaire). Due to item non-response, missing values were replaced using multiple imputation. The associations between three dimensions of social capital (social support, social participation and networks, trust and reciprocity) and five health behaviours (smoking, alcohol use, physical activity, vegetable consumption, sleep) were examined by using logistic regression and controlling for age, gender, education, income and living arrangements. The possible mediating role of health behaviours in the association between social capital and self-rated health and psychological well-being was also analysed with a logistic regression model.ResultsSocial participation and networks were associated with all of the health behaviours. High levels of trust and reciprocity were associated with non-smoking and adequate duration of sleep, and high levels of social support with adequate duration of sleep and daily consumption of vegetables. Social support and trust and reciprocity were independently associated with self-rated health and psychological well-being. Part of the association between social participation and networks and health was explained by physical activity.ConclusionsIrrespective of their social status, people with higher levels of social capital – especially in terms of social participation and networks – engage in healthier behaviours and feel healthier both physically and psychologically.
Our findings suggest that trust and reciprocity and social participation and networks contribute to good self-rated health and psychological well-being.
Active social participation protects against early death. This association is partly mediated through health behaviour and to a minor extent also through health.
Suomen ulkomaalaistaustaisen väestön määrän kasvaessa on entistä tärkeämpää saada luotettavaa tietoa tämän väestöryhmän hyvinvoinnista, terveydestä, elinoloista, osallisuudesta, toimintakyvystä ja palveluiden käytöstä. Tiedon saantiin liittyy haasteita, joihin on etsitty ratkaisuja muun muassa kehittämällä tutkittavien tavoittamista ja haastattelujen toteutusta sekä hakemalla toimivia käytäntöjä viranomaisten ja tutkimuslaitosten väliseen yhteistyöhön. Tässä artikkelissa kuvataan kahdessa ulkomaalaistaustaisiin kohdennetussa väestötutkimuksessatoimineen monikulttuurisen kenttätutkimushenkilöstön kokemuksia tiedonkeruusta. Empiirisenä aineistona on Maahanmuuttajien terveys- ja hyvinvointitutkimuksen (Maamu) ja Ulkomaista syntyperää olevien työ ja hyvinvointi Suomessa (UTH) -tutkimuksen ulkomaalaistaustaisen kenttähenkilöstön puolistrukturoidut teemahaastattelut. Kenttätutkimushenkilöstön kokemusten karttuminen ja varmuuden kasvaminen auttoivat tutkittavien suostuttelussa. Tutkittavien epäluuloisuus viranomaisia kohtaan laski halukkuutta osallistua tutkimukseen. Kenttätutkimushenkilöstön ja tutkittavien yhteinen kulttuuritausta toisaalta edisti mutta toisaalta myös hankaloitti tutkittavien tavoittamista. Lisäksi työnantajan kenttähenkilöstölle tarjoama tuki koettiin tärkeänä. Kohdennetussa väestötutkimuksessa tutkittavien tavoittelemiseen on varattava riittävästi aikaa ja resursseja. Resursseja tarvitaan erityisesti kaikista heikoimmassa asemassa olevien tavoittamiseen. Tutkittavien tavoittamiseen ja kenttähenkilöstön kouluttamiseen liittyviä käytäntöjä on hyödyllistä kehittää viranomaisyhteistyönä. Myös kohdeväestö on tärkeä ottaa mukaan tutkimuksen suunnitteluun, toteutukseen ja raportoimiseen.
Background
Globally, the prevalence of child and adolescent overweight and obesity has increased during the preceding decades leading to childhood obesity being acknowledged as one of the most significant health hazards of the 21st century. Yet, in Finland comprehensive and up-to-date data on the prevalence of overweight and obesity among children and adolescents have been lacking. The aim of this study was to examine the prevalence of overweight and obesity among 2-16-year-old children and adolescents living in Finland in 2018.
Methods
The study was based on height and weight measurements taken at child welfare clinics and school health services between 5.7.2017 and 5.4.2019 (n = 375,561). The data was collected from the Register of Primary Health Care Visits. Child and adolescent overweight and obesity were defined according to international IOTF BMI criteria (age- and sex-specific BMI cut-off points corresponding to adults' cut-off points of 25 kg/m2 for overweight and 30 kg/m2 for obesity) and reported by age group and sex.
Results
In 2018, nearly 20% of boys and girls aged 2-16 years were classified as at least overweight while the prevalence of obesity was 5% among both sexes. The prevalence of overweight in pre-school-aged children (2-6 years) was 12% in boys and 15% in girls, in primary school-aged children (7-12 years) 23% in boys and 22% in girls and in adolescents (13-16 years) 25% in boys and 23% in girls.
Conclusions
In 2018, every fifth child and adolescent in Finland was classified as either overweight or obese. The prevalence of overweight and obesity appears to increase with age in both genders.
Key messages
Childhood and adolescent overweight and obesity were comparatively common in Finland in 2018. As overweight and obesity often persist into adulthood, multi-professional interventions targeted at prevention and early detection are essential.
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