Abstract
Objectives: To determine the prevalence of smoking, low levels of physical activity, and missing breakfast among students (n=318) in grades 9 through 12 in three schools in southwestern Ontario; to see if these behaviours were associated; and, whether there were gender differences.
Methods: A self-administered survey was conducted in grade 10 English classes.
Results: The response rate was 87.1%. The prevalence of smoking was 36.2%; there was no gender difference. Only 42.8% of students ate breakfast daily; 48.8% of boys and 36.1% of girls (χ2 = 5.2; p<0.05). A higher proportion of boys (77.1%) were active for at least 30 minutes ≥3 times/week compared to girls (66.0%) (χ2 = 4.8; p<0.05). Students who were active ≥3 times/week were more likely to eat breakfast daily and, among boys, 60.4% of non-smokers ate breakfast daily compared to 31.9% of those currently smoking (χ2 = 13.3; p<0.001). There were no differences among girls. More girls (63.9%) were concerned about gaining weight compared to boys (36.1%) (χ2 = 37.7; p<0.001). Among girls, a higher proportion of those who were concerned about gaining weight were less likely to engage in physical activity or smoke, and more likely to skip breakfast compared to those who were not concerned.
Discussion: Weight concern was not associated with frequency of physical activity, smoking, or breakfast consumption among boys. The high prevalence rates for these behaviours suggests that interventions in high schools should include daily physical activity, promotion of breakfast eating (either at home or in the school), and encouragement to quit smoking.
Résumé
Objectifs: Déterminer la prévalence du tabagisme, des faibles niveaux d’activité physique et de l’absence de petit déjeuner chez les élèves (n=318) de la 9e à la 12e année dans trois écoles du Sud-Ouest de l’Ontario pour voir si ces comportements sont associés et s’ils présentent des différences selon le sexe.
Méthode: Distribution d’un formulaire auto-administré dans les classes d’anglais de 10e année.
Résultats: Le taux de réponse était de 87,1 %. La prévalence du tabagisme était de 36,2 %, sans différence selon le sexe. Seuls 42,8 % des élèves prenaient quotidiennement un petit déjeuner: 48,8 % des garçons et 36,1 % des filles (χ2 = 5,2; p<0,05). Une proportion supérieure de garçons (77,1 %) que de filles (66,0 %) pratiquait une activité physique au moins 30 minutes, trois fois par semaine (χ2 = 4,8; p<0,05). Les élèves actifs trois fois par semaine étaient plus susceptibles de prendre un petit déjeuner quotidien, et chez les garçons, 60,4 % des non-fumeurs consommaient quotidiennement le petit déjeuner, contre 31,9 % des fumeurs actuels (χ2 = 13,3; p<0,001). On n’a observé aucune différence entre les filles. Davantage de filles (63,9 %) que de garçons (36,1 %) craignaient de faire de l’embonpoint (χ2 = 37,7; p<0,001). Chez les filles, une proportion supérieure de celles qui craignaient de faire de l’embonpoint était moins susceptible de pratiquer une activité physique ou de fumer, et plus susceptible de sauter le petit déjeuner, que celles qui n’étaient pas préoccupées par leur poids.
Débat: Chez les garçons, la crainte de faire de l’embonpoint n’est pas associée à la fréquence de l’activité physique, au tabagisme ou à la consommation du petit déjeuner. Étant donné les taux de prévalence élevés de ces comportements, les interventions à l’école secondaire devraient miser sur l’activité physique quotidienne et la consommation du petit déjeuner (à la maison ou à l’école) et inciter les élèves à cesser de fumer.
Footnotes
Acknowledgements: This research was supported by the National Cancer Institute of Canada and the Socio-Behavioural Cancer Research Network with funds from the Canadian Cancer Society.
References
- 1.Webber L, Srinivasan S, Wattigney W, Berenson G. Tracking of serum lipids and lipoproteins from childhood to adulthood: The Bogalusa Heart Study. Amer J Epidemiol. 1991;133:884–99. doi: 10.1093/oxfordjournals.aje.a115968. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
- 2.Berenson G, Srinivasan S, Bao W, Newman W, Tracy R, Wattigney W. Association between multiple cardiovascular risk factors and atherosclerosis in children and young adults. N Engl J Med. 1998;338:1650–56. doi: 10.1056/NEJM199806043382302. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
- 3.Boreham C, van Twisk J, Mechelen W, Savage M, Strain J, Cran G. Relationships between the development of biological risk factors for coronary heart disease and lifestyle parameters during adolescence: The Northern Ireland Young Hearts Project. Public Health. 1999;113:7–12. doi: 10.1038/sj.ph.1900526. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
- 4.McGill H, McMahan C, Herderick E, Malcolm G, Tracy R, Strong J. Origin of atherosclerosis in childhood and adolescence. Am J Clin Nutr. 2000;72suppl:1307S–1315S. doi: 10.1093/ajcn/72.5.1307s. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
- 5.Freedman D, Dietz W, Srinivasan S, Berenson G. The relation of overweight to cardiovascular risk factors among children and adolescents: The Bogalusa Heart Study. Pediatrics. 1999;103:1175–82. doi: 10.1542/peds.103.6.1175. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
- 6.Katzmarzyk P, Malina R, Bouchard C. Physical activity, physical fitness, and coronary heart disease risk factors in youth: The Quebec Family Study. Prev Med. 1999;29:555–62. doi: 10.1006/pmed.1999.0592. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
- 7.Hedley M, Chambers L, Tomasik H, Randall E, Woolcott D, Brown H, et al. 1990 Ontario Health Survey Nutrition Report. 1995. [Google Scholar]
- 8.Pediatrics. 2000.
- 9.Gortmaker S, Must A, Sobol A, Peterson K, Colditz G, Dietz W. Television viewing as a cause of increasing obesity among children in the United States, 1986–1990. Arch Pediatr Adolesc Med. 1996;150:356–62. doi: 10.1001/archpedi.1996.02170290022003. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
- 10.Tremblay M, Willms D. Secular trends in the body mass index of Canadian children. CMAJ. 2000;163:1429–35. [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
- 11.Calle E, Thun M, Petrelli J, Rodriguez C, Heath C. Body-mass index and mortality in a prospective cohort of U.S. adults. N Engl J Med. 1999;341:1097–105. doi: 10.1056/NEJM199910073411501. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
- 12.Must A, Spadano J, Coakley E, Field A, Colditz G, Dietz W. The disease burden associated with overweight and obesity. JAMA. 1999;282:1523–29. doi: 10.1001/jama.282.16.1523. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
- 13.Dietz W. Childhood weight affects adult morbidity and mortality. J Nutr. 1998;128:411S–414S. doi: 10.1093/jn/128.2.411S. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
- 14.Freedman D, Khan L, Dietz W, Srinivasan S, Berenson G. Relationship of childhood obesity to coronary heart disease risk factors in adulthood: The Bogalusa Heart Study. Pediatrics. 2001;108:712–18. doi: 10.1542/peds.108.3.712. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
- 15.United States Department of Health, Education,Welfare. Smoking and Health: Report of the Advisory Committee to the Surgeon General of the Public Health Service. Washington, DC: Government Printing Office; 1964. [Google Scholar]
- 16.Health Canada. Canadian Tobacco Use Monitoring Survey (CTUMS). Wave 1, February — June 2000. http://www.hc-sc.gc.ca/hpb/lcdc/bc/ctums/index.htm.
- 17.Nicklas T, O’Neil C, Berenson G. Nutrient contribution of breakfast, secular trends, and the role of ready-to-eat cereals: A review of data from the Bogalusa Heart Study. Am J Clin Nutr. 1998;67:757S–763S. doi: 10.1093/ajcn/67.4.757S. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
- 18.Health Canada. Trends in the health behaviours of Canadian Youth. 2000. [Google Scholar]
- 19.Kelder S, Perry C, Klepp K, Lytle L. Longitudinal tracking of adolescent smoking, physical activity, and food choice behaviors. Am J Public Health. 1994;84:1121–26. doi: 10.2105/AJPH.84.7.1121. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
- 20.Lytle L, Kelder S, Perry C, Klepp K. Covariance of adolescent health behaviors: The Class of 1989 study. Health Educ Res Theory Pract. 1995;10(2):133–46. doi: 10.1093/her/10.2.133. [DOI] [Google Scholar]
- 21.Brown KS, Jolin MA, Madill C. School Smoking Profile: Test-Retest Reliabilities. Waterloo, ON: University of Waterloo; 2001. [Google Scholar]
- 22.Cameron R, Brown KS, Best A, Pelkman C, Madill C, Manske S, et al. Effectiveness of a social influences smoking prevention program as a function of provider type, training method and school risk. Am J Public Health. 1999;89:1827–31. doi: 10.2105/AJPH.89.12.1827. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
- 23.Bercovitz K. Student Physical Activity Survey. Unpublished report. Health Behaviour Research Group. Waterloo, ON: University of Waterloo; 1999. [Google Scholar]
- 24.Adlaf E, Bondy S. Smoking behaviour. In: Stephens T, Morin M, editors. Youth Smoking Survey, 1994: Technical Report. Ottawa: Minister of Supply and Services Canada; 1996. [Google Scholar]
- 25.World Health Organization. Health and Health Behaviour Among Young People. Health Policy for Children and Adolescents Issue 1. 2000. [Google Scholar]
- 26.Evers S, Taylor J, Manske S, Midgett C. Eating and smoking behaviours of school children in southwestern Ontario and Charlottetown, PEI. Can J Public Health. 2001;92(6):433–36. doi: 10.1007/BF03404534. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
- 27.Neumark-Sztainer D, Story M, Resnick M, Blum R. Lessons learned about adolescent nutrition from the Minnesota Adolescent Health Survey. J Am Diet Assoc. 1998;98:1449–56. doi: 10.1016/S0002-8223(98)00329-0. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
- 28.Burke V, Milligan R, Beilin L, Dunbar D, Spencer M, Balde E, et al. Clustering of health-related behaviours among 18-year-old Australians. Prev Med. 1997;26:724–33. doi: 10.1006/pmed.1997.0198. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
- 29.Shaw M. Adolescent breakfast skipping: An Australian study. Adolescence. 1998;33:851–61. [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
- 30.Donovan UM, Gibson RS. Dietary intakes of adolescent females consuming vegetarian, semi-vegetarian, and omnivorous diets. J Adolesc Health. 1996;18:292–300. doi: 10.1016/1054-139X(95)00133-D. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
- 31.Haddad E. Development of a vegetarian food guide. Am J Clin Nutr. 1994;59:1248S–1254S. doi: 10.1093/ajcn/59.5.1248S. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
- 32.Dovey S, Reeder A, Chalmers D. Continuity and change in sporting and leisure time physical activities during adolescence. Br J Sports Med. 1998;32:53–57. doi: 10.1136/bjsm.32.1.53. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
- 33.Allison K, Adlaf E. Age and sex differences in physical inactivity among Ontario teenagers. Can J Public Health. 1997;88(3):177–80. doi: 10.1007/BF03403883. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
- 34.Canadian FitnessLifestyle Research Institute CFLRI. 1998 Physical Activity Monitor. 2000. [Google Scholar]
- 35.Centers for Disease ControlPrevention CDC. Physical Activity and Health: A Report of the Surgeon General. 1997. [Google Scholar]
- 36.Pediatrics. 2000.
- 37.Allison K, Dwyer J, Makin S. Perceived barriers to physical activity among high school students. Prev Med. 1999;28:608–15. doi: 10.1006/pmed.1999.0489. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
- 38.Story M, Neumark-Sztainer D, Sherwood N, Stang J, Murray D. Dieting status and its relationship to eating and physical activity behaviours in a representative sample of US adolescents. J Am Diet Assoc. 1998;98:1127–32. doi: 10.1016/S0002-8223(98)00261-2. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
- 39.Tomeo C, Field A, Berkey C, Colditz G, Frazier L. Weight concerns, weight control behaviors, and smoking initiation. Pediatrics vn104:pp918-24. [DOI] [PubMed]
- 40.Health Canada. The Comprehensive School Health Model. 2000. [Google Scholar]