Prevalence and Correlates of Behavioral Non-Communicable Diseases Risk Factors among Adolescents in the Seychelles: Results of a National School Survey in 2015

Abstract

The aim of this study was to investigate the prevalence and correlates of behavioral non-communicable disease (NCD) risk factors among a national sample of school-going adolescents in the Seychelles. Cross-sectional data were analyzed from 2540 school adolescents (median age 14 years, interquartile range = 2), in the Seychelles “Global School-Based Student Health Survey (GSHS)” in 2015. Behavioral NCD risk factors (current tobacco use, current alcohol use, inadequate fruit and vegetable consumption, soft drink consumption, overweight or obesity, physical inactivity, and leisure-time sedentary behavior) were assessed by self-report. Among the seven individual behavioral risk factors, the highest prevalence was physical inactivity (82.7%), followed by daily soft drink consumption (68.3%), inadequate fruit and vegetable consumption (60.9%), leisure-time sedentary behavior (51.0%), current alcohol use (47.6%), overweight or obesity (28.2%), and current tobacco use (23.4%). The total mean number of behavioral NCD risk factors was 3.6 (Standard Deviation = 1.3), and the proportion of co-occurrence of having three or more behavioral NCD risk factors was 80.7%. In adjusted linear regression analysis, male sex, older age, and psychological distress were positively, and school attendance and peer support were negatively associated with the total number of behavioral NCD risk factors. A high prevalence of multiple behavioral NCD risk factors were found and several associated factors were identified, such as male sex, older age, psychological distress, school truancy, and lack of peer support, which may help in aiding intervention programs in this population.