It has been well documented that parents and peers behaviour influence children and adolescents, namely regarding physical activity and eating behaviours. It is fundamental to understand how adolescents perceive their parents and peers behaviour and stimulus to adolescents own behaviour. This research aimed to study the perception Portuguese adolescents have about their parents and peers behaviour and the stimulus to adolescents own physical activity and eating behaviour. A questionnaire about adolescents’ perception of parents and peers behavior and stimulus was design specially for this research. Data from a 748 sample, mean age 16,7 years (SD=2,0) show that most adolescents perceive that both parents have always/ almost always healthy diets (92,2% mothers; 83,6%fathers) and are always/almost always physically active (53,7% mothers; 63,4%fathers). Adolescents also perceive parents to encourage them to have healthy diets always/almost always (93,9% mothers; 88,0%fathers) and to be physically active always/almost always (86,3% mothers; 88,8%fathers). A Cohen’s kappa moderate consistency among perception of fathers and mothers stimulus was found either to healthy diet (0.47; p <0.001), and physical activity (0.42; p <0.001); and between perception of peers stimulus and behaviour (0.45; p<0.001). A low agreement was found between perception of parents encouragement and own behaviour. These results suggest that the low consistency between the perception of parents behaviour and stimulus to adolescents behaviour is possibly one of the reasons way adolescent’s continue to have poor diets and physical activity levels. Future interventions must consider involving parents and reinforce the importance of changing to a healthier way their lifestyles.

OBJETIVO: Avaliar o consumo alimentar e o padrão de refeições de adolescentes, São Paulo, Brasil. MÉTODOS: Por meio do Recordatório de 24 horas, avaliou-se o consumo energético total, de macronutrientes, cálcio, ferro e vitamina A e a omissão de refeições ou sua substituição por lanche, de adolescentes de uma escola pública de Ilhabela. Comparou-se o consumo alimentar por grupo com a Pirâmide Alimentar do adolescente. Foi realizada análise descritiva, aplicou-se o teste Qui-quadrado (p < 0,005), além de análise qualitativa. RESULTADOS: o consumo energético total foi inferior ao estimado para 66 por cento dos adolescentes, o percentual de carboidratos foi abaixo do recomendado e o de lipídios e proteínas acima do recomendado. Houve omissão do café da manhã entre 21 por cento dos adolescentes e um terço deles substituiu almoço ou jantar por lanche. CONCLUSÃO: Os adolescentes apresentaram insuficiência calórica na dieta e baixo consumo de frutas, verduras e legumes; o padrão de refeições foi satisfatório, mas o café da manhã deve ser incentivado; OBJECTIVE: To assess food intake and meal patterns in adolescents, a cross-sectional study was conducted with 228 adolescents from a public school, SP, Brazil. METHODS: Total energy...

Introdução: Durante o processo de modificação de comportamentos de saúde, os indivíduos passam por diferentes fases, denominadas estágios de mudança de comportamento. O desenvolvimento de intervenções nutricionais específicas para cada estágio pode contribuir para a adoção de práticas alimentares saudáveis na adolescência. Objetivo: avaliar os estágios de mudança de comportamento e verificar sua relação com o consumo alimentar de adolescentes. Métodos: Trata-se de um estudo observacional transversal com adolescentes de escolas públicas de Piracicaba. Foram coletados dados demográficos, antropométricos, de maturação sexual e de consumo alimentar (questionário de freqüência). Realizou-se uma avaliação da percepção alimentar, por meio da comparação entre o consumo alimentar e a classificação individual do aspecto saudável da dieta. Os participantes foram classificados nos estágios de mudança de comportamento (pré-contemplação, contemplação, decisão, ação e manutenção) por meio de algoritmo específico. Resultados: Foram avaliados 390 adolescentes: média de idade de 12,4 anos, 46,4% meninos, 78,7% púberes e 21,1% com excesso de peso. Observou-se consumo médio de 3645kcal, sendo que 36...

Introdução - Atualmente, vários estudos epidemiológicos têm se direcionado à população de adolescentes, devido aos seus hábitos alimentares que, quando inadequados, podem favorecer o aparecimento de diversas doenças crônicas não transmissíveis na vida adulta. A vitamina D é um nutriente de fundamental importância durante os diversos ciclos de vida, porém sua determinação é inadequada através dos questionários/recordatórios alimentares. Níveis séricos reduzidos de vitamina D estão relacionados à patogênese de diversas doenças crônicas não transmissíveis. Objetivo - Objetivou-se investigar a ingestão e os níveis séricos de vitamina D em adolescentes saudáveis, assim como quais fatores influenciam a adequação da vitamina D e a associação entre o estado nutricional da vitamina D com a adiposidade e a pressão arterial. Métodos - Trata-se de estudo transversal, onde foram avaliados 205 adolescentes, sendo 106 meninos e 99 meninas, com média de idade de 18,25 (0,07). Avaliou-se a ingestão alimentar (diário alimentar de 3 dias), o estado nutricional (peso, altura, IMC, gordura corporal e massa magra pela bioimpedância elétrica), o nível de atividade física (questionário de atividade física...

Fundação de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado de São Paulo (FAPESP); Processo FAPESP: 07/07731-0; Processo FAPESP: 11/05991-0; Growing concern has focused on the occurrence of metabolic syndrome (MetS) and its effects on bone mass. There is little information available in the literature concerning the relationship between MetS and BMD in adolescents. The aim of this study was to evaluate the effects of MetS and its components on bone mineral density (BMD) in overweight adolescent boys and girls. This cross-sectional study assessed 271 overweight adolescents with or without MetS (age 10 to 16 years). Anthropometric and biochemical tests were performed. Lumbar spine, proximal femur and total and subtotal body BMD values were obtained by bone densitometry with dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry. MetS was observed in 14% of the adolescents. Overweight adolescents of both genders who were positive for MetS presented with significant decreases in BMD (g/cm(2)/kg bodyweight) at all sites evaluated (p < 0.01). Female adolescents with large waist circumference, low HDLc, hypertriglyceridemia and high blood pressure showed significant reductions in BMD at all sites evaluated (p < 0.01) and, with the exception of increased triglycerides (which had no effect on BMD...

Este estudo investigou a distribuição do cronotipo (matutino, intermediário e vespertino), a sonolência diurna, o desempenho em testes de memória e de compreensão de leitura em estudantes do turno da manhã e da tarde (12 a 17 anos). Na Fase 1, foram utilizados o Questionário de Cronotipo (HO) e o formulário para identificação de queixas de sono (n = 435). Na Fase 2 (n = 81) utilizou-se a Escala de Sonolência de Karolinska (KSS) aplicada imediatamente antes da sessão de testes, que ocorreram em dois horários (7h00 e 16h45), as Escalas de Leitura (EL) e de Desempenho Escolar em Língua Portuguesa (ED), o Teste de Extensão de Dígitos direto e inverso (SPANdir; SPANinv), o Teste dos Blocos de Corsi direto e inverso (CORSIdir; CORSIinv), o Teste de Memória Episódica imediato e tardio (MEI; MET) e o Teste de compreensão da leitura (CLOZE). Os resultados mostraram uma distribuição normal para os diferentes cronotipos, com aumento na vespertinidade em adolescentes mais velhos. As queixas mais freqüentes (Teste qui-quadrado) foram insônia e muita necessidade de sono predominantes em vespertinos, independentemente do turno de estudo. Os adolescentes de cronotipo matutinos estavam menos sonolentos em relação aos vespertinos...

Background: Practicing physical activity (PA) has shown to present health benefits at all ages, namely in paediatrics. There are several methods to evaluate PA, however the most frequently used are the self-report questionnaires and accelerometry. The latter is an objective measuring tool, however it requires the use of relatively expensive devices. Questionnaires are easy and quick to apply, and therefore a useful tool to evaluate PA. Despite the existence of some questionnaires to evaluate PA in adolescents, there is still none validated against accelerometry for the Portuguese population. This validation is important, since questionnaires present an error associated to inaccuracies in recall activity. Aims: To validate the Physical Activity Index (PAI), by comparing it with accelerometry in adolescents according to gender and to explore if adolescents follow the physical activity recommendations established for their age. Methods: In this cross-sectional study, adolescents were recruited from 3 basketball teams, 2 classrooms from a school in Aveiro, and an orchestra band classroom. Socio-demographic, anthropometric data and spirometry were collected from the adolescents who participated in this study. Physical Activity (PA) was assessed with accelerometers (Actigraph model - GT3XPlus...

OBJECTIVE: to identify the dietary patterns of adolescents attending public municipal schools in Northern Minas Gerais, Brazil, and to test the association between these patterns and socioeconomic variables and nutritional status of the adolescents. METHODS: this was an analytical, cross-sectional study with randomized sample of 474 adolescents of both genders, between 11 and 17 years of age, attending municipal public schools in the urban area of Montes Claros, MG, Brazil. The parents provided demographic and economic data. The nutritional status (body mass index - BMI) of the adolescents was determined at school, and their dietary habits were assessed though the administration of the Food Frequency Questionnaire for Adolescents (FFQA). Based on 26 categories extracted from FFQA, dietary patterns were determined using principal component analysis (PCA) and associated to anthropometric and socioeconomic factors using multiple regression analysis. RESULTS: the three dietary patterns identified, "junk food," "healthy," and "traditional", explained 23.26%, 6.90%, and 5.24% of data variability, respectively. Adolescents with per capita family income exceeding half a minimum wage were more likely to consume the "junk food" pattern (OR = 1.66; 95% CI = 1.07-2.56)...

Objective: To analyze the influence of Body Mass Index percentile on Body Image perception and Quality of Life of adolescents from a large city. Methodology: Cross-sectional study in which a representative sample of healthy adolescents was selected from both private and public schools of a Brazilian capital city. Anthropometric measures were performed in order to calculate Body Mass Index percentile. A scale of Body Image was applied to the adolescents to verify whether there was satisfaction or dissatisfaction and possible Body Image distortion. Self-reported questionnaires were also applied to the adolescents and their parents or responsible adults with questions about the Quality of Life and image the adolescents have about themselves and the view of the parents about the Quality of Life of their children. Results: This study has included 1,168 adolescents aged between 12 and 18, mean of 14.7 (± 1.60), being n=550 (47.1%) male and n=618 (52.9%) female. It was observed that 3.4% of the young people were underweight and 22.4% were either overweight or obese with higher overweight prevalence among male adolescents, the youngest and private schools students. It was verified that 69.4% were dissatisfied with Body Image...

Cette étude qualitative descriptive de type exploratoire a pour but d’explorer les perceptions des adolescents, de leurs parents et des professionnels impliqués quant à l’inclusion sociale des adolescents ayant vécu un traumatisme craniocérébral (TCC) modéré, notamment en ce qui concerne la reprise des rôles sociaux une fois le congé définitif du centre de réadaptation obtenu. Le modèle écologique de Bronfenbrenner (1979, 1986), adapté par Lefebvre & Levert (2005) auprès de la clientèle TCC, est utilisé comme cadre de référence. Des entrevues semi-dirigées ont été réalisées auprès de trois adolescents ayant vécu un TCC modéré, de même que leurs parents, et un groupe de discussion auprès de quatre professionnels. Les résultats montrent que les perceptions des adolescents ayant vécu un TCC modéré, de même que celles de leurs parents, portent sur différents aspects de leur vie, tels que l’adolescent en tant que personne, la famille, les amis, l’environnement, l’école et les loisirs. Il est en effet ressorti une multitude de répercussions, ces dernières facilitant, parfois contraignant, l’inclusion sociale de l’adolescent TCC modéré. De manière générale, les professionnels partagent les mêmes perceptions qu’eux. Toutefois...

Cette étude qualitative descriptive de type exploratoire avait pour but l’exploration de la perception des adolescents et des experts en sécurité routière sur les campagnes de sensibilisation actuelles et les programmes de prévention en sécurité routière s’adressant aux adolescents, afin de proposer de nouvelles pistes d’action en prévention des accidents de la route. Le modèle de planification Precede/Proceed de Green et Kreuter (2005) a été utilisé comme cadre de référence. Un groupe de discussion a été réalisé auprès de huit adolescents et des entrevues semi-dirigées ont été réalisées auprès de trois experts en sécurité routière. Les résultats montrent que peu de similitudes existent entre les propos des adolescents et ceux des experts en sécurité routière. Par contre, les similitudes portent sur des aspects importants en sécurité routière comme la prise du risque à l’adolescence, l’implication des parents et l’implication du milieu scolaire. Les résultats de cette étude fourniront aux décideurs de programmes de prévention ou aux personnes agissant de près ou de loin auprès de cette clientèle des pistes de recherches et d’actions pour de futures interventions prometteuses en prévention des accidents de la route chez les adolescents afin de réduire le nombre d’accidents chez les jeunes conducteurs.; The goal of this qualitative...

La thèse porte sur la relation entre l’environnement familial et le comportement sexuel des adolescents vivant dans un contexte de socialisation. L’environnement familial est mesuré par le type de famille de résidence, le type d’union du chef de ménage, la survie des parents, la cohabitation avec les grands-parents et le nombre de personnes de moins de 20 ans par adulte dans le ménage. Le comportement sexuel est opérationnalisé par l’entrée en sexualité prémaritale, l’utilisation du condom au premier rapport sexuel, le nombre de partenaires sexuels, le recours au partenaire sexuel occasionnel et l’utilisation systématique du condom au cours des douze derniers mois. Les données proviennent d’enquêtes transversales. Elles ont servi à établir des associations entre les indicateurs des deux concepts. Les résultats sont présentés dans trois articles (Chapitres III à V). Une analyse descriptive de l’environnement familial au Burkina Faso montre qu’une majorité des enfants de 0 à 14 ans (78,4% en 1993 et 77,6% en 2003) et des adolescents de 12 à 19 ans (61,1% en 2004) vit auprès des deux parents, en union monogame ou polygame. Cependant, certains enfants et adolescents résident avec les parents dans des ménages dirigés par d’autres personnes. Le décès des parents (7...

On s’accorde à dire que les adolescents constituent l’avenir quel que soit le temps et l’espace considéré. Il est également reconnu que le développement de leur capital humain et social, nécessaire pour une vie adulte de qualité, dépend des conditions dans lesquelles ils vivent et de l’environnement dans lequel s’opérera la transition vers cette vie adulte. Plus que dans toute autre partie du monde, ce constat est encore plus d’actualité en Afrique sub-Saharienne où, à la situation socio-économique déjà précaire, s’ajoutent d’importants problèmes de santé sexuelle et reproductive auxquels font face les adolescents en particulier le VIH. Conscients de l’enjeu majeur que représente la santé des adolescents, les gouvernements en Afrique sub-Saharienne, aidés en cela par les organismes non-gouvernementaux et toute la communauté internationale, ont inscrit la promotion de stratégies efficientes en santé sexuelle et reproductive des adolescents comme haute priorité dans leurs agendas. Mais force est de constater que l’élaboration et la mise en œuvre de telles stratégies supposent la production de connaissances sans cesse actualisées ainsi que la formulation de politiques innovatrices basées sur des données probantes et éprouvées en matière de santé sexuelle et reproductive...

peer-reviewed; This study investigated the cross-cultural differences and similarity in health behaviors between Saudi and British adolescents. A school-based cross-sectional study was conducted at four cities in Saudi Arabia (Riyadh and Al-Khobar; N = 1,648) and Britain (Birmingham and Coventry; N = 1,158). The participants (14–18 year-olds) were randomly selected using a multistage stratified cluster sampling technique. Measurements included anthropometric, screen time, validated physical activity (PA) questionnaire and dietary habits. The overweight/obesity prevalence among Saudi adolescents (38.3%) was significantly (p < 0.001) higher than that found among British adolescents (24.1%). The British adolescents demonstrated higher total PA energy expenditure than Saudi adolescents (means ± SE = 3,804.8 ± 81.5 vs. 2,219.9 ± 65.5 METs-min/week). Inactivity prevalence was significantly (p < 0.001) higher among Saudi adolescents (64%) compared with that of British adolescents (25.5%). The proportions of adolescents exceeding 2 h of daily screen time were high (88.0% and 90.8% among Saudis and British, respectively). The majority of Saudi and British adolescents did not have daily intakes of breakfast, fruit, vegetables and milk. MANCOVA showed significant (p < 0.05) gender by country interactions in several lifestyle factors. There was a significant (p < 0.001) gender differences in the ratio of physical activity to sedentary behaviors. In conclusion...

The Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) have refocused global attention on still unaddressed needs of children and youth. In response to the MDGs, the World Bank is strengthening its attention to the most vulnerable populations such as children and adolescents, through a cross-sectoral approach to human development including education, health, nutrition, sexual and reproductive health, and social protection. One crucial component for healthy adolescent development is good nutrition. It affects health, learning, physical fitness and the ability to withstand stress. Yet this population has received little emphasis in nutrition programs, and nutrition, in turn, has received little attention from programs for youth. While some low-cost solutions to adolescent malnutrition are available, nutrition specialists and programs do not have the operational experience needed to access and work with youth. In order to learn from the experience of adolescent health and development specialists, and avoid reinventing the wheel...

Objective: To compare the nature and prevalence of mental health problems, prevalence of suicidal ideation and behaviour, and health-related quality of life of 13–17-year-olds on remand with that of 13–17-year-olds in the general community. Method: Self reported questionnaires completed by 13–17-year-olds who were remanded in South Australia in 2008/9 (N = 159), 13–17-year-olds who participated in the Child and Adolescent Component of the National Survey of Mental Health and Well-being in Australia (N = 1283), and 13–17-year-olds who participated in the Western Australian Aboriginal Child Health Survey (N = 1100). Mental health problems were identified using the Youth Self-Report and the Strength and Difficulties Questionnaire. Health-related quality of life was assessed using the Child Health Questionnaire. Results: A total of 50.0% (95% CI, 42.3–58.3) of adolescents on remand versus 18.9% of adolescents in the community scored above the recommended cut-off score on the Youth Self-Report. Among Indigenous adolescents, 55.8% (95% CI, 41.3–69.5) on remand versus 32.1% in the community scored above the recommended cut-off score on the Strength and Difficulties Questionnaire. Among those on remand, 19.1% (95% CI, 13.2–26.2) reported making a suicide attempt during the previous 12 months compared to 4.3% in the community. Health-related quality of life was significantly worse among adolescents on remand than adolescents in the community. These differences remained after adjusting for differences in the demographic characteristics of the two groups of adolescents. Conclusions: Compared with adolescents in the community...

Given the importance placed on participation and empowerment in global health initiatives, the perspective of young people with disabilities has emerged as a vital field of study. This critical ethnographic study gained insight into the perspectives of adolescents with disabilities aged 12 to 18 years who were affiliated with a community-based rehabilitation program in the urban slums of North India. The purpose of this research was to highlight the collective voices of adolescents with disabilities about their rehabilitation challenges, to explore how the culture influenced the rehabilitation challenges faced by adolescents, and to support collaborative work among adolescents with and without disabilities that would inform organizational activities. Fieldwork was conducted from January to May 2005 and October 2006 to March 2007 with 21 adolescents with disabilities, 11 adolescents without disability, and 10 community-based rehabilitation team members. Multiple data collection methods were utilized to ensure that participants could comfortably express their views. A conceptual framework called the ‘Adolescent Group Empowerment Pyramid’ was developed that illustrates one process for empowering adolescents with disabilities and their peers without disabilities within a community setting. Group empowerment involves adolescents with disabilities working towards assuming greater ownership over their rehabilitation while collaborating with their peers. The ‘group’ concept provided the foundation for the framework because adolescents viewed the group setting as enjoyable and effective. Three areas associated with meaningful group empowerment included: group participation...

L’objectif de la présente thèse était de caractériser le sommeil d’un groupe clinique d’enfants et d’adolescents ayant un trouble d’anxiété comme diagnostic primaire et le comparer à un groupe témoin. Dans un premier temps, nous avons vérifié si le profil de la fréquence cardiaque nocturne des enfants et des adolescents pouvait être regroupé selon le diagnostic. Pour ce faire, la fréquence cardiaque nocturne de 67 adolescents anxieux et 19 sujets non anxieux a été enregistrée à l’aide d’un équipement ambulatoire. Les résultats de cette étude montrent que le profil de la fréquence cardiaque nocturne chez les enfants anxieux varie selon le diagnostic. Alors que les adolescents non anxieux montrent un profil de la fréquence cardiaque nocturne plat, on retrouve les associations suivantes chez les adolescents ayant un trouble anxieux : a) un profil croissant de la fréquence cardiaque chez les adolescents ayant un trouble d’anxiété de séparation; b) un profil décroissant de la fréquence cardiaque chez les adolescents ayant un trouble d’anxiété généralisé; c) un profil en forme de U chez les adolescents ayant un trouble d’anxiété sociale. De plus, une association significative a été observée entre le diagnostic et la présence de fatigue matinale. L’association d’un profil de la fréquence cardiaque nocturne avec un diagnostic d’anxiété suggère la présence d’une dysrégulation de la modulation chronobiologique du système nerveux autonome. Étant donné que le profil de la fréquence cardiaque nocturne s’exprime différemment selon le diagnostic...

Adolescência é um estágio da vida do indivíduo marcado por intensas mudanças fisiológicas, cognitivas e sócio-culturais, que afetam seu comportamento alimentar e saúde. Práticas alimentares inadequadas representam riscos imediatos para a saúde do adolescente e trazem implicações negativas para a sua saúde na idade adulta. Consequentemente, estudos que avaliam o estado nutricional e a adequação do consumo dietético de adolescentes são importantes e têm sido realizados no Brasil. Entretanto, em pesquisas nacionais de avaliação do consumo dietético da população, a utilização das novas recomendações nutricionais, as Dietary References Intakes- DRIs, como valores de referência, são ainda raras. Por sua vez, a prática regular de atividades físicas apresenta uma relação inversa com os riscos de doenças crônicas não transmissíveis e tem um efeito positivo na qualidade de vida do indivíduo. Assim, é importante avaliá-la concomitantemente à avaliação do estado nutricional, do consumo dietético e das predisposições e tendências no consumo dos alimentos pelos indivíduos. Pelo exposto, o presente estudo teve como objetivos avaliar: i) o estado nutricional dos adolescentes do Colégio Técnico da UNICAMP...

http://dx.doi.org/10.5007/1980-0037.2008v10n3p313To investigate the relationship of Physical Activity Level (PAL), alcohol consumption and Body Mass Index (BMI) with the Quality of Life (QL) of adolescents. Methods: 608 adolescents, aged between 14 and 20 years participated in the study. All subjects were elementary students in the city of Lapa, Paraná State, Brazil. Body mass and stature were measured to calculate BMI. To measure socioeconomic status, QL, PAL and alcohol consumption the following instruments were used: a) ABEP questionnaire; b) WHOQOL-Bref; c) IPAQ; d) AUDIT. Statistical analysis employed Student’s t test, one-way ANOVA, binary chi-square test and multinomial logistic regression. Results: Adolescents who were less active, probably dependent on alcohol, obese and female were the most vulnerable groups to having low QL. The majority of adolescents had high PAL (76,8%) or moderate PAL (20,9%) and only 2.3% had low PAL. Female adolescents and students who studied during the mornings constituted the group at risk of low PAL. The majority of students investigated presented reduced levels of alcohol consumption, however, 17.4% of adolescents presented at-risk alcohol consumption, 4.6% were high risk and 2.4% were probable alcohol dependents. The older male adolescents and evening students were the most vulnerable group for alcohol consumption. The prevalence rates of underweight...