Prevalence and Correlates of Behavioral Non-Communicable Diseases Risk Factors among Adolescents in the Seychelles: Results of a National School Survey in 2015

Abstract

The aim of this study was to investigate the prevalence and correlates of behavioral non-communicable disease (NCD) risk factors among a national sample of school-going adolescents in the Seychelles. Cross-sectional data were analyzed from 2540 school adolescents (median age 14 years, interquartile range = 2), in the Seychelles “Global School-Based Student Health Survey (GSHS)” in 2015. Behavioral NCD risk factors (current tobacco use, current alcohol use, inadequate fruit and vegetable consumption, soft drink consumption, overweight or obesity, physical inactivity, and leisure-time sedentary behavior) were assessed by self-report. Among the seven individual behavioral risk factors, the highest prevalence was physical inactivity (82.7%), followed by daily soft drink consumption (68.3%), inadequate fruit and vegetable consumption (60.9%), leisure-time sedentary behavior (51.0%), current alcohol use (47.6%), overweight or obesity (28.2%), and current tobacco use (23.4%). The total mean number of behavioral NCD risk factors was 3.6 (Standard Deviation = 1.3), and the proportion of co-occurrence of having three or more behavioral NCD risk factors was 80.7%. In adjusted linear regression analysis, male sex, older age, and psychological distress were positively, and school attendance and peer support were negatively associated with the total number of behavioral NCD risk factors. A high prevalence of multiple behavioral NCD risk factors were found and several associated factors were identified, such as male sex, older age, psychological distress, school truancy, and lack of peer support, which may help in aiding intervention programs in this population.

<p>Behavioral Risk Factors Of Non-Communicable Diseases Among A Nationally Representative Sample Of School-Going Adolescents In Indonesia</p>

“…The GSHS measure applied to this analysis was used in this survey (Table 1). 16 Inadequate FV consumption was classified as less than five or more servings in a day 14,17. Overweight and obesity was defined as more than +1 standard deviation (SD) from the median body mass index by age and sex 18.…”

“…Sedentary behavior was defined as spending three or more hours per day sitting 20. The psychological distress items (no close friends, loneliness, anxiety, suicidal ideation, and suicide attempt) were summed and grouped into 0=0, 1=1 single, and 2–5=2 multiple 14. The four items on parental or guardian support were summed and classified into three groups, 0–1: low, 2: medium, and 3–4: high support.”14…”

“…As reviewed in Pengpid and Peltzer,14 factors associated with individual and/or multiple behavioral NCD risk factors among adolescents include male sex, older age, lower socioeconomic status, physical inactivity, insufficient physical activity, not attending physical education classes, overweight/obesity, psychological distress, school truancy, and lack of peer and parental support. The study aimed to investigate the prevalence and correlates of behavioral NCD risk factors in adolescents in Indonesia.…”

Clustering of health risk behaviors among adolescents in Kilifi, Kenya, a rural Sub-Saharan African setting

“…Harmful use of alcohol, unhealthy diet, tobacco use and physical inactivity are linked to an increased risk of dying from non-communicable diseases (NCDs) like diabetes, cardiovascular diseases, cancers and respiratory conditions [19,20]. These forms of behavior are found to cluster among adolescents [21][22][23] and this could potentially exacerbate risk to NCDs. A recent survey of 2540 school adolescents in Seychelles [21] for example, reported a high prevalence of inadequate fruit and vegetable consumption (61%), physical inactivity (83%), high consumption of soft drinks (68%), current alcohol use (48%), and current tobacco use (23%).…”

“…These forms of behavior are found to cluster among adolescents [21][22][23] and this could potentially exacerbate risk to NCDs. A recent survey of 2540 school adolescents in Seychelles [21] for example, reported a high prevalence of inadequate fruit and vegetable consumption (61%), physical inactivity (83%), high consumption of soft drinks (68%), current alcohol use (48%), and current tobacco use (23%). Moreover, the cooccurrence of 3 or more forms of risky behavior linked to NCDs was 81% within this sample [21].…”