Table 1.
Distribution of positive and negative longitudinal behaviorsa (percentages, n)
| Behavior | Positive longitudinal behavior |
Negative longitudinal behavior |
|||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sustained healthy behavior levels | Improved from unhealthy to healthy levels | Remained unhealthy, but improved | Worsened from healthy to unhealthy levels | Remained unhealthy, without improvement | |
| Fruit consumption | 24% (204) | 13% (111) | 13% (109) | 13% (110) | 37% (313) |
| Vegetable consumption | 29% (245) | 16% (135) | 10% (83) | 15% (124) | 31% (259) |
| Folic acid supplementation | 29% (245) | 16% (135) | 10% (83) | 15% (124) | 31% (259) |
| Physical activity | 12% (103) | 9% (80) | 15% (130) | 14% (121) | 49% (411) |
| Binge drinking Avoidance | 80% (676) | 7% (60) | 2% (19) | 6% (48) | 5% (43) |
| Smoking avoidance | 79% (669) | 4% (34) | 1% (5) | 3% (29) | 13% (109) |
| Vaginal douching avoidance | 81% (683) | 5% (38) | 1% (12) | 5% (40) | 8% (71) |
a
Positive longitudinal behavior was defined as sustained healthy levels of behavior at both baseline and follow-up, or improved health behavior between baseline and follow-up. Negative longitudinal behavior was behavior that remained unchanged at below healthy levels or declined from healthy to below healthy levels