Prevalence and characteristics of areca nut chewers among junior high school students in Changhua county, Taiwan

Abstract

Some studies indicate that betel quid and its ingredients chewing can produce cell mutagenicity and tumorigenicity. In Taiwan studies, betel quid chewing is the main cause of submucous fibrosis and oral cancer. Understanding the distribution and characteristics of the areca nut chewing population is one of the first steps in the effort to prevent these oral diseases. A stratified cluster random sample of 2442 junior high school students in Changhua county, Taiwan, were surveyed for the habit of areca nut chewing. Significantly more male students chewed areca nut than female students (9.2% vs 0.9%). The proportion of students who were chewing areca nuts increased with increasing (seventh to ninth) grades. Areca nut was used by junior high school students at a higher rate in village (rural) areas as compared to town (semi-urban) and city (urban) areas (6.4%, 3.7% and 3.0%, respectively). More students in the ordinary achievement classes were chewing areca nuts than those in the high achievement classes (8.4% vs 1.6%). Areca nut chewing students tended to have users in their families. Cigarette smoking and alcohol drinking were positively associated with areca nut chewing. More than half (53.6%) of the areca nut chewing students first experimented with this habit with a family member, most often the father or grandfather.

Betel nut chewing: the prevalence and the intergenerational effect of parental behavior on adolescent students

“…The prevalence of betel nut chewing among adolescents has been investigated by researchers such as Ko et al [2], who found that the socioeconomic characteristics of betel nut chewing was related to having less-educated elders, blue-collar workers, and people who had the dual habits of smoking cigarettes and drinking alcohol. Lu et al [3], who studied the prevalence rate and the characteris-…”

The Betel Quid Chewing Habit: Why It Should Be Stopped And What Can Be Done To Stop This Habit?

“…However, this situation has changed, where in most parts of the Southeast Asia, the habit of betel quid chewing is slowly disappearing and is practised only among the older generation. However, in other countries such as in Taiwan, an increased number of betel quid chewers is found among the adolescence (5). It is also observed that in India this habit has been picked up by the younger generation due to the commercial product pan masala (containing areca nut) and gutka (containing areca nut and tobacco) (6).…”

“…The preparation for betel quid also varies from country to country. For example in Taiwan they usually chew betel nut with a lengthwise piece of unripe fruit with betel piper leaf and lime paste between the two halves of the nut (5). Chinese traditional herbs may be added but tobacco leaves are excluded.…”

“…"When they received passing guests they entertain them not with tea but only with areca nut" observed the Chinese Ma Huan on a naval expedition to Southern Ocean, in the 15th century. In some parts of Taiwan, for " example, offering areca nut or a cigarette to' others during a social gathering has become part of their custom (5).…”

“…Three of the women made a connection between chewing after meals and better digestion of food. Lu et al (1993) conducted a study to investigate the prevalence and characteristics of areca nut chewers among junior high school students (5). They found that almost half of the users stated that they chewed areca nut to dispel chills and refresh themselves.…”