Abstract
Abstract
Aims
Our objective was to assess the association between dietary behaviours and the physical and mental health of Swedish adolescents, taking into account their socioeconomic and demographic characteristics.
Methods
We used data from the 2017/2018 Health Behaviour in School-aged Children (HBSC) survey, a comprehensive study comprising 3,692 adolescents aged 11-, 13- and 15- years old. The prevalence and association of dietary behaviours with socioeconomic and demographic factors was estimated. We further assessed the correlation between dietary habits, overweight/obesity and mental health using multivariate logistic regression, with and without model adjustment.
Results
Boys predominantly consumed breakfast and family meals but had lower fruit and vegetable intake, compared to girls. Adolescents from families with lower Family Affluence Scale (FAS) scores and perceived family wealth had poorer dietary habits. Regular breakfast, family meals, consistent fruit and vegetable consumption were positively associated with mental health. Daily family meals in particular were correlated with heightened life satisfaction (OR:1.55, CI: 1.27–1.88), fewer psychosomatic complaints (OR: 0.78, CI: 0.69–0.89), and diminished school stress (OR:0.67, CI: 0.58–0.77). Breakfast was found to be a beneficial dietary habit, while frequent sugar-sweetened beverage consumption negatively impacted life satisfaction. Daily breakfast was associated with lower odds of overweight or obesity, but other dietary behaviours showed no significant relationship with weight status.
Conclusions
Dietary habits are intricately linked to the mental and physical health of adolescents. Socioeconomic and demographic factors play a pivotal role in influencing these behaviours. Recognizing the health disparities based on these factors is vital for developing effective, tailored interventions, especially for the low-income and vulnerable groups.
Publisher
Research Square Platform LLC