Association of Fitness With Life Satisfaction, Health Risk Behaviors, and Adherence to the Mediterranean Diet in Spanish Adolescents

Abstract

The aim of this study was to examine the association between aerobic, musculoskeletal, and motor capacity and life satisfaction, risk behavior, and adherence to the Mediterranean diet in adolescents. A total of 1,988 Spanish adolescents (12-16 years old) participated in this cross-sectional study. Life satisfaction, risk behavior, and adherence to the Mediterranean diet were measured by validated questionnaires for these ages. Aerobic, musculoskeletal muscle, and motor capacity were evaluated objectively with the ALPHA battery tests. Adolescents with low aerobic capacity had a higher risk of showing less (vs. very happy) life satisfaction (odds ratio [OR] = 1.303, 95% confidence interval [CI] = 1,054-1,611). These adolescents were also more likely to report risk behaviors such as sometimes (vs. never) of smoking tobacco (OR = 1.752, 95% CI = 1,218-2,520), besides having a low adherence to the Mediterranean diet (vs. high) (OR = 1.410, 95% CI = 1,113-1,786). Adolescents with low upper-body musculoskeletal capacity showed a lower risk of reporting risk behaviors such as alcohol consumption or getting drunk occasionally (vs. never) (OR = 0.662, 95% CI = 520-843; OR = 0.561, 95% CI = 419-753, respectively). The results suggest that the aerobic capacity contributes significantly to greater adherence to the Mediterranean diet, greater life satisfaction, and lower tobacco consumption, whereas musculoskeletal capacity seems to be related to alcohol consumption.

An Exploratory Analysis of Factors Associated with Health-Related Physical Fitness in Adolescents. The ASSO Project

“…Currently, there is not a consensus on the relationship between fitness/physical activity and alcohol consumption in adolescents [56][57][58]. One study showed that adolescents with low upper-body musculoskeletal capacity had a lower risk of alcohol consumption [20]. Another one reported a greater likelihood of alcohol consumption and getting drunk occasionally among subjects with a lower aerobic capacity or with a upper and lower muscular strength [21,59].…”

“…Even though risk factor analysis nowadays represents a new challenge in many research fields, included also health promotion, sociodemographic, and behavioral sciences [1,19], as far as we know only few studies used it to report data concerning the potential association between physical fitness and risk factors [20,21]. Information on adolescents' physical fitness in different geographical areas and according to different cultures is very important to drive public health actions aimed at preventing the above-mentioned disorders in the adult life.…”

Adherence to Mediterranean Diet Related with Physical Fitness and Physical Activity in Schoolchildren Aged 6-13

“…In order to determine the adherence to the MD, the KIDMED index was used [31]. This is a test widely used in Spanish children and teenagers [18,28], which was created and validated by Serra-Majem et al [32]. The index varies from 0 to 12 and is based on a 16-questions test.…”

“…Notwithstanding, some of the positive associations cited above were found in studies developed outside the Mediterranean region like South America [19][20][21], where the type of food could vary with those found in the Mediterranean region [27]. Thus, the Region of Murcia is located in the south of Spain, where several studies have been carried out [22,28]. However, most of these studies have focused on adolescents and only few of them have been conducted on primary schoolchildren.…”

Valoración del estado nutricional y de actividad física en jóvenes universitarios: efecto de un programa educativo de promoción de la salud en una muestra de mujeres universitarias

“…En cambio el Gasto Energético Estimado no reportó diferencias significativas, probablemente debido a que el exceso de TMB en los individuos con SP está compensado por un mayor gasto energético de los individuos con NP que presentan un mayor factor de AF. Estos resultados concuerdan con otros autores (Arriscado et al, 2014;Grao-Cruces et al, 2014;Yang et al, 2014). No obstante este dato hay que analizarlo con cuidado, puesto que difícilmente la Condición Física mejora únicamente a expensas de una buena alimentación basada en la adherencia a la DM.…”