Nina Gande1, Raimund Pechlaner2, Benoît Bernar3, Anna Staudt1, Katharina Stock4, Christoph Hochmayr1, Ralf Geiger5, Ursula Kiechl-Kohlendorfer1, Michael Knoflach6. 1. Department of Pediatrics II (Neonatology), Medical University of Innsbruck, Innsbruck, Austria. 2. Department of Neurology, Medical University of Innsbruck, Innsbruck, Austria. 3. Department of Neurology, Medical University of Innsbruck, Innsbruck, Austria; Department of Pediatrics I, Medical University of Innsbruck, Innsbruck, Austria. 4. Department of Pediatrics II (Neonatology), Medical University of Innsbruck, Innsbruck, Austria; Department of Pediatrics III (Cardiology), Medical University of Innsbruck, Innsbruck, Austria. 5. Department of Pediatrics, Bruneck Hospital, Bruneck, Italy; Department of Pediatrics III (Cardiology), Medical University of Innsbruck, Innsbruck, Austria. 6. Department of Neurology, Medical University of Innsbruck, Innsbruck, Austria. Electronic address: michael.knoflach@i-med.ac.at.
Abstract
BACKGROUND AND AIMS: Ideal cardiovascular health (CVH) behaviors in adolescents are defined by body mass index (BMI), diet, physical activity and smoking, and are directly associated with better health in later life. To further improve health prevention programs we investigated the prevalence of these behaviors in a cohort of healthy adolescents and focused on the associations with sex, age, and education. METHODS AND RESULTS: The Early Vascular Aging Tyrol study is a cross-sectional study assessing 14- to 19-year-old pupils and apprentices in Western Austria and South Tyrol. Between May 2015 and July 2018 2047 adolescents (43.6% males, mean age 16.4 years) with complete data for all 4 health behaviors were included. The prevalence of ideal body mass index (BMI) was 78.3%, of ideal physical activity 42.5%, of non-smoking 70.4% and of ideal diet 8.1%. Females showed a higher smoking prevalence and a lower physical activity, but better dietary habits than males. Older adolescents of both sexes had lower prevalence of ideal smoking and diet. Apprentices and pupils of vocational schools had a higher BMI and a less favorable diet compared to secondary academic school students. Smoking prevalence was highest in apprentices. Non-ideal BMI was independently associated with smoking. CONCLUSION: In our cohort, only a minority showed ideal CVH behaviors which were best in adolescents younger than 16 years. We observed significant differences between males and females and a clear impact of school education with apprentices being at risk for non-ideal CVH behaviors. CLINICAL TRIAL REGISTRATION NUMBER: NCT03929692, clinicaltrials.gov.
BACKGROUND AND AIMS: Ideal cardiovascular health (CVH) behaviors in adolescents are defined by body mass index (BMI), diet, physical activity and smoking, and are directly associated with better health in later life. To further improve health prevention programs we investigated the prevalence of these behaviors in a cohort of healthy adolescents and focused on the associations with sex, age, and education. METHODS AND RESULTS: The Early Vascular Aging Tyrol study is a cross-sectional study assessing 14- to 19-year-old pupils and apprentices in Western Austria and South Tyrol. Between May 2015 and July 2018 2047 adolescents (43.6% males, mean age 16.4 years) with complete data for all 4 health behaviors were included. The prevalence of ideal body mass index (BMI) was 78.3%, of ideal physical activity 42.5%, of non-smoking 70.4% and of ideal diet 8.1%. Females showed a higher smoking prevalence and a lower physical activity, but better dietary habits than males. Older adolescents of both sexes had lower prevalence of ideal smoking and diet. Apprentices and pupils of vocational schools had a higher BMI and a less favorable diet compared to secondary academic school students. Smoking prevalence was highest in apprentices. Non-ideal BMI was independently associated with smoking. CONCLUSION: In our cohort, only a minority showed ideal CVH behaviors which were best in adolescents younger than 16 years. We observed significant differences between males and females and a clear impact of school education with apprentices being at risk for non-ideal CVH behaviors. CLINICAL TRIAL REGISTRATION NUMBER: NCT03929692, clinicaltrials.gov.