scholarly journals Healthy Lifestyle in Children and Adolescents and Its Association with Subjective Health Complaints: Findings from 37 Countries and Regions from the HBSC Study

Author(s):  
Adilson Marques ◽  
Yolanda Demetriou ◽  
Riki Tesler ◽  
Élvio R. Gouveia ◽  
Miguel Peralta ◽  
...  

Background: It is important to clearly understand the factors associated with subjective health complaints. The study aimed to investigate the relationship between subjective health complaints, several health behaviors, and a composite measure of healthy lifestyle. Methods: Data were from the Health Behaviour in School-aged Children (HBSC) 2014 international database. Participants were 167,021 children and adolescents, aged 10–16 years, from 37 countries and regions. A composite score of healthy lifestyle was created using a combination of daily physical activity, daily consumption of fruit and vegetables, <2 hours spent daily in screen-based behaviors, no drinking, and no smoking. The subjective health complaints assessed were headaches, stomach aches, backache, dizziness, feeling low, irritability, nervousness, and sleep difficulties. Results: Those who engage in physical activity every day, spend less than two hours a day in screen-based behaviors, do not drink alcohol, and do not smoke tobacco presented a higher likelihood of not having subjective health complaints. A healthy lifestyle was significantly related to having less of all the subjective health complaints. Those with a healthy lifestyle were 50% (OR = 0.5, 95% CI: 0.5–0.6, p < 0.001) less likely to have multiple health complaints. Conclusions: Healthy behaviors and healthy lifestyles are related with less subjective health complaints and less multiple health complaints.

2021 ◽  
Vol 8 (5) ◽  
Author(s):  
Aija Klavina ◽  
Viktors Veliks ◽  
Anna Zusa ◽  
Juris Porozovs ◽  
Aleksandrs Aniscenko ◽  
...  

Objective: In this study, we explored Internet use-associated psychosocial behavior problems in relationship to adolescents’ subjective health complaints and healthy lifestyle habits. Methods: A cross-sectional sample of Latvian adolescents (N = 570, age range 11-19 years) completed a survey. Problematic Internet use (PIU) was assessed by the Problematic and Risky Internet Use Screening Scale (PRIUSS) that measures social impairment, emotional impairment, and risky/impulsive Internet use. Subjective health complaints assessed were somatic complaints and psychological complaints. Healthy lifestyle behaviors assessed were daily physical activity, time spent using information technologies (IT), eating habits, and sleep duration. Results: We found that 27.02 % (N = 154) of the participants scored at risk for PIU with significantly higher PIU mean scores in 15-16-year-old girls (p <.05). Also, 15-16-year-old girls reported significantly higher prevalence of subjective health symptoms than boys and girls in other age groups (p < .05). There were statistically significant associations between PIU-related psychosocial behaviors and subjective health complaints and limited physical activity (p < .01). Conclusions: PIU behaviors, subjective health complaints and lack healthy lifestyles were common in adolescents in this study with a significantly high prevalence in 15-16-year-old girls.


2019 ◽  
Vol 28 (1) ◽  
pp. 31-40 ◽  
Author(s):  
Romina Faridizad ◽  
Zeinab Ahadi ◽  
Ramin Heshmat ◽  
Mohammad Esmaeil Motlagh ◽  
Ali Sheidaei ◽  
...  

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Nazli Namazi ◽  
Mostafa Qorbani ◽  
Gita Shafiee ◽  
Mohammad Hossein Ahmadian ◽  
Mohammad Esmail Motlagh ◽  
...  

Abstract Background: Vitamin D deficiency (VDD) is recognized as a pandemic across the world. Identification, any association between VDD and subjective health complaints (SHC), can be helpful to realize critical mechanisms and improve psychological and somatic symptoms. However, studies are limited. The purpose of the present study was to examine the associations between VDD and SHC in children and adolescents. Study design: cross-sectional studyMethods: In this national study, 2594 Iranian children and adolescents aged 8 to 18 years were included. Data on SHC, anthropometric indices, physical activity, and serum levels of vitamin D were collected. Logistic regression models (crude, adjusted) were applied to examine any links between VDD and SHC. Statistical analysis was performed using STATA software version 11. P-values< 0.05 were considered as statistically significant.Results: Among SHC, irritability (40.9%) and feeling anxiety (33.7%) were the most prevalent ones. Multiple complaints in students with VDD was 2.5 times greater than those with sufficient vitamin D concentrations (p<0.001). Compare to the reference group, the strongest association was found between vitamin D status and difficulties in getting to sleep (OR: 2.5, 95%CI: 1.18, 3.53, p<0.001).Conclusion: Serum levels of vitamin D in approximately 70% of Iranian children and adolescents were lower than 30 ng/mL. However, no significant differences were found between gender groups. In addition, there were significant associations between vitamin D status and the most somatic and psychological symptoms, particularly for getting to sleep. It seems national interventional programs for vitamin D supplementation or food fortifications can be helpful.


2018 ◽  
Vol 46 (20_suppl) ◽  
pp. 87-93 ◽  
Author(s):  
Nelli Lyyra ◽  
Raili Välimaa ◽  
Jorma Tynjälä

Aim: The first aim of this study was to explore the prevalence of loneliness and subjective health complaints (SHCs) among school-aged children in Finland. The second aim was to analyse to what extent perceived loneliness explains any variance in SHCs among school-aged children. Method: A representative sample of 5925 Finnish children and adolescents from grades 5 ( Mage=11.8 years), 7 ( Mage=13.8) and 9 ( Mage=15.8) completed the Health Behaviour in School-aged Children (HBSC) survey. Descriptive statistics were used to examine the prevalence of health complaints and loneliness. Structural equation modelling was used to test how strongly loneliness was associated with SHCs. Results: The prevalence of loneliness and SHCs was higher among girls and increased with age. Loneliness was a significant predictor of health complaints, especially of psychological symptoms among girls and among ninth grade students. Conclusions: The findings indicate that loneliness is a major risk to the health and well-being of school-aged children. The strong association between loneliness and SHCs highlights the importance of active preventive actions to reduce loneliness.


2021 ◽  
Vol 21 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Nazli Namazi ◽  
Mostafa Qorbani ◽  
Gita Shafiee ◽  
Mohammad Hossein Ahmadian ◽  
Mohammad Esmaeil Motlagh ◽  
...  

Abstract Background Vitamin D deficiency (VDD) is recognized as a global pandemic. Identification, any association between VDD and subjective health complaints (SHC), can be helpful to realize critical mechanisms and improve psychological and somatic symptoms. Given few studies published on this issue and the importance of its clarification, the main objective of this study was to examine the association between VDD and the SHC in children and adolescents. Methods In this national cross-sectional study, 2596 Iranian children and adolescents aged 8–18 years were included. Data on SHC, anthropometric indices, physical activity, and serum levels of vitamin D were collected. Logistic regression models (crude, adjusted) were applied to examine the association between the VDD and the SHC. Statistical analysis was performed using STATA version 11. P-values< 0.05 were considered as statistically significant. Results Serum levels of vitamin D in approximately 70% of Iranian children and adolescents were lower than 30 ng/mL. Among the SHC, irritability (40.9%) and feeling anxiety (33.7%) were the most prevalent ones. Multiple complaints in students with the VDD was 2.5 times greater than those with sufficient vitamin D concentrations (p <  0.001). Compared to the reference group, the strongest association was found between vitamin D status and difficulties in getting to sleep (OR: 2.5, 95%CI: 1.18, 3.53, p <  0.001). Conclusion VDD was observed in the considerable percentage of the study population. There were no significant differences between the two gender groups. In addition, there were significant associations between vitamin D status and most of the somatic and psychological symptoms, particularly for getting to sleep. It seems national interventional programs for vitamin D supplementation or food fortifications can be helpful.


2009 ◽  
Vol 24 (2) ◽  
pp. 58-62
Author(s):  
Helene Barone Halleland ◽  
Anette Harris ◽  
Silje Sørnes ◽  
Robert Murison ◽  
Holger Ursin

The job of an orchestra musician is characterized by high demands and low control, which is a combination known to predispose to ill health. Research also indicates that musicians have high levels of subjective health complaints, complaints with limited or no objective findings. The aim of this study was to examine the relationship between subjective health complaints, stress, and coping in musicians. Thirty-five musicians in the Bergen Philharmonic Orchestra filled in questionnaires about work, subjective health complaints, and coping. Saliva samples were collected to measure cortisol levels. The levels of subjective health complaints compared well with normative data from a representative sample of Norwegians, except for an unusually high level of “pseudoneurological” complaints (fatigue, mood changes). High levels of cortisol were positively related to the total number of subjective health complaints, gastrointestinal complaints, and “pseudoneurology” but not to musculoskeletal complaints. A high level of “emotion-focused coping” was associated with higher cortisol levels. Samples obtained during a concert showed a moderate but significant rise in cortisol levels.


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