School journeys and leisure activities in rural and urban adolescents in Norway

Health promotion measures in order to increase physical activity should include environmental and policy approaches. Studies in natural living environments such as rural and urban areas may provide valuable information about the effects of environmental factors on physical activity. The present study was performed among 88 adolescents living in one rural and one urban area in Norway, with particular focus on the availability of cycling tracks and walking trails. The study showed that both rural and urban adolescents spent more time on sedentary activities, such as watching TV/video and playing TV/data-games, than on regular physical activity. No differences were observed between the two groups in regard to activity patterns. However, the median distance the urban adolescents walked or cycled to school was three times greater than the median distance the rural adolescents walked or cycled to a bus stop or to school. The urban adolescents also walked or cycled more to regular activities than the rural ones. Positive correlations were found between walking or cycling from home to school and walking or cycling to regular activities. In multiple regression analysis, urban area, female gender and distance walked or cycled to school or bus stop predicted increased walking or cycling to activities. The results confirm other studies on adolescents, showing that much more time is spent on sedentary rather than on physical activity. Knowledge is still lacking concerning predictors of sedentary and general physical activity, but the results indicate that access to cycling tracks and walking trails in residential areas may increase both walking or cycling to school and to leisure activities. A relevant strategy for health promotion may therefore be to make cycling tracks and walking trails accessible; some passive transport both to school and to leisure activities may thus probably be replaced by walking or cycling.     

Oral Malodor and Related Factors in Japanese Senior High School Students

BACKGROUND: Oral malodor (halitosis or bad breath) might be an important motivation tool for improving oral health in adolescents. There are few studies that report the epidemiology of oral malodor in high school students and the relationships with lifestyle and oral health status. This research was conducted to obtain underlying data for introducing an oral health education program which targeted prevention of oral malodor as a motivation tool for changing oral health behavior in high school students. METHODS: A questionnaire, school oral examination, and oral malodor measurement were conducted on senior high school students in a Tokyo metropolitan school in 2007. A total of 474 students (male: 219, female: 255) were used for the analysis. RESULTS: Over 42% of subjects reported that they had experienced anxiety, or were conscious of oral malodor, on at least 1 occasion. The students who had detectable oral malodor comprised 39.6% of subjects. The binary logistic regression analyses showed that whether or not subjects ate breakfast before the oral examination (p < .05), the presence of plaque (p < .01), and presence of a substantive tongue coating (p < .01) were related to the presence of detectable oral malodor. CONCLUSIONS: Cleaning the oral cavity and eating breakfast are important to prevent oral malodor in high school students. This study indicated that school health education incorporating prevention of oral malodor as a motivation tool for oral health promotion could be a valuable procedure to include in high school dental health education programs.     

Risk Behaviors Related to Inter-personal Violence Among School and College-going Adolescents in South Delhi

Background:

Injuries are a major cause of death and disability among the adolescents in the world.

Objective:

To study risk behavior related to interpersonal violence amongst school- and college-going adolescents in South Delhi and its epidemiological correlates.

Study Design:

Cross-sectional study.

Setting:

Three schools and two colleges in South Delhi.

Participants:

Five hundred and fifty adolescents aged 14-19 years.

Statistical Analysis:

Proportions, Chi-square test, multivariate logistic regression.

Results:

Among the study participants, 65 (11.8%) reported having carried a weapon in past 30 days. Seventy-four (13.5%) respondents had threatened or injured someone with a weapon in past 12 months. Almost one in every two boys (49.1%) reported being involved in a physical fight in past 12 months. Involvement in interpersonal violence was found to be significantly more amongst males than females. Adolescents who were working part time were more likely to be ‘at risk’ (67.5%) than those not working (48.5%). In logistic regression analysis, the significant correlates of interpersonal violence were male gender, lower age, number of close friends, having seen role models smoke/drink, and residing in resettlement colonies, slums or villages. The findings regarding violence-related behaviors among adolescents are remarkably similar to those in other countries.     

Where Public School Students in Illinois Get Cigarettes and Alcohol: Characteristics of Minors Who Use Different Sources

The current study examined demographic, behavior, belief, and social influence characteristics of adolescents who use various means to get cigarettes and alcohol. Spring 1998 survey participants were 7,302 6th, 8th, and 10th grade public school students from throughout Illinois, who self-identified as tobacco smokers and/or alcohol drinkers. The sample was not random, but closely matched the demographic composition of the state. Logistic regression analysis was used to examine the effect of each independent variable on each of the cigarette sources and each of the alcohol sources. For both cigarettes and alcohol, adolescents used commercial sources far less than they did social sources such as family and friends. Also, older adolescents and those who are heavier and more entrenched smokers or drinkers were more likely to use both commercial and social sources. Other factors related to use of various sources included beliefs, social influences, and environmental influences. These findings have many implications for intervention, especially by parents and policymakers, and suggest an increased emphasis on social sources adolescents use to obtain cigarettes and alcohol.     

Adolescent School Failure Predicts Later Depression Among Girls

PURPOSE: Past research has found that social, academic, and behavioral problems are linked with depression during childhood and adolescence. The present study tests a longitudinal cascade model of adolescent problems predicting depression into adulthood, while additionally testing for gender differences. METHODS: Using prospective longitudinal analysis with a sample of 808 youth followed from age 10 to 21, we tested whether social problems, school failure, and delinquency in adolescence increased risk for a major depressive episode in emerging adulthood. Structural equation modeling was used to test for gender differences. RESULTS: Both early conduct problems and adolescent school failures predisposed girls to depression in young adulthood. Among the boys, none of the problems conferred risk for depression. CONCLUSIONS: This study highlights the mutual interplay between school failure and psychological functioning. It is suggested that school adaptation in adolescence be considered a mental health issue.     

Facilitators and Barriers to Implementing Healthy School Canteen Intervention among Malaysian Adolescents: A Qualitative Study

This study evaluated implementing a school-based intervention to promote healthier dietary habits in the school environment among Malaysian adolescents using qualitative methods. This qualitative study was conducted in four secondary schools in Perak and Selangor (two urban and two rural schools) that received the intervention (either training or training and food subsidy). A total of eight focus groups (68 students aged 15 years old) and 16 in-depth interviews were conducted with canteen operators, school convenience shop operators, school teachers and school principals in each school. Thematic analysis was used to analyse the qualitative data to identify suitable themes. We found several initiatives and changes by the schools’ stakeholders to change to a healthy school canteen programme. The stakeholders also noticed the students’ food preferences that influence healthy food intake in canteens and convenience shops. The food vendors and school administrators also found that subsidising healthy meals might encourage healthy eating. Among barriers to implementing healthy school initiatives were the student’s perception of healthy food and their eating habits, which also affect the food vendors’ profit if they want to implement a healthy canteen. The school-based intervention has the potential to promotes healthier eating among school adolescents. Continuous training and monitoring of canteen operators and convenience shops are needed, including building partnerships and educating the students on healthy eating to cultivate healthy eating habits.