Background
Adolescent health information within new global health initiatives is advocated. Global School-based Student Health Survey (GSHS) is among young people aged 13 to17 years. Early preventive and health promotion actions can be beneficial. With the objective of finding out the current health behaviors and protective factors at different physiological stages of adolescence this study was carried out.
Methods
School-based survey using self-administered questionnaire of adolescents studying in an Army Public School. The study parameters were Dietary behaviours, Hygienic practices, Mental health, Physical activity, and Protective factors. A total of 1232 adolescents were surveyed. Early adolescence (10-13years) participants were 760 and middle adolescence (14-17 years) were 472. Overall male: female ratio was 1.819: 1.
Results
The study findings reveal interesting trends. There is disparity between BMI findings and effort direction for weight. There is a sharp rise in number of girls making efforts to lose weight from early adolescence to middle adolescence (27.8% and 40.7% respectively). Hygienic practices are marginally short of 100%. Worry causing inability to sleep at night most of the times or always is reported by 9.2% -18.7%. There is sharp rise in number of girls feeling this from early to middle adolescence (9.8% to 18.7%). Adolescents spending three or more hours per day doing sitting activities are 25.6% - 38.6%. This is rising from early to middle adolescence, and sharply in girls. Protective factors are trending towards positive side.
Conclusions
Firstly accomplishing the advancements of adolescents’ health, the top priorities are (i) Popularizing the importance of ideal BMI (ii) Betterment of mental health for smooth transition across different stages of adolescence & being proactive for preventing worsening (iii) Promoting physical activity early & sustaining efforts, especially amongst adolescent girls. Secondly the ‘GSHS Questionnaire’ needs to be modified for fruits & vegetable consumption to how many servings/what part of plate and should include questions for details of physical activity likings of the girls.