Normative influences on intentions to smoke among Greek adolescents: the moderating role of smoking status

The FRESHAIR4Life study: Global implementation research on non-communicable disease prevention targeting adolescents' exposure to tobacco and air pollution in disadvantaged populations

The FRESHAIR4Life study aims to reduce the non-communicable disease (NCD) burden by implementing preventive interventions targeting adolescents' exposure to tobacco use and air pollution (AP) worldwide. This paper presents the FRESHAIR4Life methodology and initial rapid review results. The rapid review, using various databases and PubMed, aimed to guide decision-making on risk factor focus, target areas, and populations. It showed variable NCD mortality rates related to tobacco use and AP across the participating countries, with tobacco as the main risk factor in the Kyrgyz Republic, Greece, and Romania, and AP prevailing in Pakistan and Uganda. Adolescent exposure levels, sources, and correlates varied. The study will continue with an in-depth situational analysis to guide the selection, adaptation, and integration of evidence-based interventions into the FRESHAIR4Life prevention package. This package will be implemented, evaluated, assessed for cost-effectiveness, and iteratively refined. The research places a strong emphasis on co-creation, capacity building, and comprehensive communication and dissemination.

The association of motivation and perceived social norms with eating behaviors in emerging adults

Objective

This study examines the associations of eating-related motivation, perceived norms, and their interaction with eating behaviors in emerging adults.

Design

Data are from the NEXT Generation Health Study, a nationally representative sample of US emerging adults. Binominal logistic regression analyses estimated associations of eating behaviors with self-determined motivation, non-self-determined motivation, and perceived social norms. Multiplicative interaction terms between each motivation construct and perceived social norms were tested in the models.

Results

Self-determined motivation was positively associated with intake frequency of whole grains, low-fat dairy, and fruit and vegetables. Soda intake frequency was inversely associated with greater non-self-determined motivation, but not self-determined motivation or perceived social norms. Perceived social norms were positively associated with the intake of whole grains, low-fat dairy, and fruit and vegetables. Perceived social norms did not moderate the association of motivation constructs with eating behaviors.

Conclusion

Self-determined motivation and perceived social norms may be considered in intervention targeting healthful eating behaviors in emerging adults.

Adolescent Smoking in Hong Kong: Prevalence, Psychosocial Correlates, and Prevention

Preventing adolescent smoking is important as smoking is typically initiated by young people. This article reviews the prevalence, psychosocial correlates, and prevention of smoking in Hong Kong adolescents. The past 30-day smoking prevalence in adolescents decreased from 9.6% in 2003 to 2.5% in 2017. Tobacco advertisements, parental and best friends smoking, nonintact families, poor family relationships, lower socioeconomic status, being a new immigrant, poor knowledge of smoking-related harm, positive attitudes toward smoking, overestimation of peer smoking, and depressive symptoms were positively associated with smoking outcomes, whereas positive youth development, authoritative mother and permissive father, family functioning, school competence, and stronger tobacco industry denormalization beliefs were protective against smoking. Along with tobacco tax increase, ban on tobacco advertisements, smoke-free law and pictorial warnings, educational efforts through theater performances, social norms campaigns, and positive adolescent training programs have been conducted to prevent adolescent smoking. To achieve the ultimate goal of tobacco endgame, further tax increase, plain packaging, banning point-of-sale display of tobacco products, smoke-free area extension, and raising minimum age of purchase should be implemented. The government proposed law to ban e-cigarettes, and heated tobacco products should be passed soon to protect children and adolescents from using these products.

Health risk behaviors among high school and university adolescent students

Tobacco, alcohol and drug abuse constitute a public health concern. Data regarding health risk behaviors among Greek youth are scarce. The aim of the present study was to investigate health risk behaviors of a large adolescent sample (730 adolescents, 294 males and 436 females), residing in different areas of Greece, trace perceived side effects and associate the findings with the adopted lifestyle. High school students and University newcomers, aged 14-21 years (17.8±4.5 years), self-reported health risk behaviors via an anonymous, closed-type, validated questionnaire. Simultaneous adoption of unhealthy habits, such as smoking and drug abuse, were not independent (χ²=38.668, P=0.01). Age was the most significant factor in the adoption of unhealthy behaviors; smoking (χ²=27.220, P=0.01), misuse of cannabis and recreational drugs (χ²=9.874, P=0.05) and combining alcohol and smoking with entertainment (χ²=8.708, P=0.05; χ²=317.309, P=0.05, respectively) were adopted more by the elder (18-20 years) than the younger (15-18 years) teenagers. Males were more prone to abuse of cannabis (χ²=8.844, P=0.01), whereas females combined drinking and smoking with loud music during entertainment (χ²=6.618, P=0.05). The majority (64%) reported driving after drinking alcohol and intense entertainment, especially in urban areas. Almost half of smokers (53.1%) and drug users (46.3%) first encountered smoking or drugs from friends. Educational institutions and entertainment venues were the main places of initiation of smoking (26%) or drug use (35.2%), respectively. Adolescents from touristic regions were more prone to smoking (33.9%, P=0.01) and drug abuse (53.7%, P=0.01). The lower the frequency of exercise, the higher the consumption of psychoactive substances (P=0.022). Youth engaging in unhealthy habits were also willing to use prohibited doping substances (56%, P=0.043). Health problems were the main reason to consider changing habits (72%). In conclusion, health risk behaviors were multifactorial and tended to cluster. Thus, preventive youth strategies should target negative peer influences, especially during late adolescence.

Associations between obesity, adverse behavioral patterns and cardiovascular risk factors among adolescent inhabitants of a Greek island

BACKGROUND

Excess weight, unhealthy lifestyle habits and their sequelae have become a well-recognized public health problem in most countries. The objective of the study was to examine the relationship of adolescent overweight/obesity with behavioral habits and their association with blood pressure (BP) and lipid profile.

METHODS

Anthropometric parameters, lifestyle, BP and lipid profile of 736 adolescents were evaluated cross-sectionally. The classifications of normal weight, overweight and obese were based on BMI z-scores.

RESULTS

About 42.1% of adolescents were overweight/obese, 11.3% were smokers, 33.2% consumed alcohol and 34% reported low activity. Males began smoking earlier, consumed alcohol more often, exercised less and spent more screen time than females. Alcohol consumption was more prevalent among smokers and was associated with higher BP and dyslipidemia. Smokers exercised less intensely and had lower high density lipoprotein-cholesterol (HDL-C) than non-smokers. Obesity was a risk factor for higher BP and dyslipidemia. Longer screen time was associated with higher triglycerides, while intense physical activity with lower systolic BP.

CONCLUSIONS

Obesity is related to an adverse lipid and BP profile during adolescence. Clustering of hazardous habits was observed, which is known to aggravate the cardiovascular risk.