Life's crucial transition and leads for comprehensive trajectory: Adolescents survey at physiological stages for prudent policies and refinements for practice

Context:

Adolescent health information within new global health initiatives is advocated. Global School-based Student Health Survey (GSHS) is among young people 13 to17 years. Early prevention and promotion is beneficial.

Aim:

To find health behaviors and protective factors at different adolescence physiological stages.

Settings and Design:

School-based survey in an Army Public School.

Methods and Materials:

The study parameters were dietary behaviors, hygienic practices, mental health, physical activity, and protective factors. A total of 1232 adolescents were surveyed. Early adolescence (10–13 years) participants were 760 and middle adolescence (14–17 years) were 472. Male: female ratio was 1.819:1.

Statistical Analysis:

Calculation of percentage ± Standard error using standard methods.

Results:

The study reveals interesting trends. There is a disparity between body mass index (BMI) findings and effort direction for weight. There is a sharp rise in girls making efforts to lose weight from early to middle adolescence (27.8% and 40.7%, respectively). Hygienic practices are marginally short of 100%. Worry causing the inability to sleep at night most of the time or always reported by 9.2–18.7%. There is a sharp rise in the number of girls feeling this from early to middle adolescence (9.8%–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 the positive side.

Conclusions:

First, for advancements of adolescents’ health, top priorities are (i) Popularizing importance of ideal BMI, (ii) Betterment of mental health for a smooth transition across stages and being proactive for preventing worsening, (iii) Promoting physical activity early and sustaining efforts, especially amongst girls. Second, the 'GSHS Questionnaire’ needs to be modified for fruits and vegetable consumption to how many servings/what part of plate and include questions for details of physical activity likings of girls.