Paola Nardone1, Daniela Pierannunzio1, Silvia Ciardullo1, Giacomo Lazzeri2, Nazario Cappello3, Angela Spinelli1. 1. Centro Nazionale per la Prevenzione delle Malattie e la Promozione della Salute, Istituto Superiore di Sanità, Rome, Italy. 2. Dipartimento di Medicina Molecolare e dello Sviluppo, Università degli studi di Siena, Siena, Italy. 3. Dipartimento di Scienze della Sanità Pubblica e Pediatriche, Università degli studi di Torino, Turin, Italy.
Abstract
OBJECTIVE: The aim is to describe dietary habits and their association with socio-demographic characteristics in a large nationally representative sample of Italian adolescents aged 11, 13 and 15 years. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Data from the 2018 Italian Health Behaviour in School-aged Children (HBSC) survey on 58,976 adolescents were analysed to determine eating habits. Logistic regression was used to investigate the association between incorrect dietary habits and potential predictors. RESULTS: 38.3% of boys and 48.1% of girls skipped breakfast and 54.1% did not consume fruit and/or vegetables daily. 15.9% of boys and 11.3% of girls drank carbonated-sugary beverages at least once a day. Incorrect dietary habits were more common among boys, adolescents with lower socio-economic conditions, residents in Southern Italy and those spending more time watching TV. Italian adolescents were more likely to have incorrect dietary habits compared with those from most other countries involved in 2018 HBSC. CONCLUSIONS: Action is needed to improve dietary habits among adolescents.
OBJECTIVE: The aim is to describe dietary habits and their association with socio-demographic characteristics in a large nationally representative sample of Italian adolescents aged 11, 13 and 15 years. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Data from the 2018 Italian Health Behaviour in School-aged Children (HBSC) survey on 58,976 adolescents were analysed to determine eating habits. Logistic regression was used to investigate the association between incorrect dietary habits and potential predictors. RESULTS: 38.3% of boys and 48.1% of girls skipped breakfast and 54.1% did not consume fruit and/or vegetables daily. 15.9% of boys and 11.3% of girls drank carbonated-sugary beverages at least once a day. Incorrect dietary habits were more common among boys, adolescents with lower socio-economic conditions, residents in Southern Italy and those spending more time watching TV. Italian adolescents were more likely to have incorrect dietary habits compared with those from most other countries involved in 2018 HBSC. CONCLUSIONS: Action is needed to improve dietary habits among adolescents.