Leefstijl en psychosociale gezondheid bij adolescenten

Objective

This study aims to give an overview of the type, prevalence and accumulation of risk behaviours and psychosocial health problems in Dutch adolescents, and of potential interventions directed at dealing with them.

Design

Cross-sectional analyses of data from a cohort study, and literature review.

Method

We used data from the prospective TRacking Adolescents’ Individual Lives Survey (TRAILS) study (n=2230) and computed prevalences of risk behaviours and psychosocial health problems at the ages of 13 and 16 years. We assessed the evidence for effectiveness of preventive interventions in systematic reviews.

Results

Risk behaviours like insufficient consumption of fruit and vegetables and skipping breakfast were common among adolescents. Between 13 to 16 years the prevalence of overweight increased from 11.0% to 15.0%. The lifetime prevalence of smoking among the young people increased from 36.3% to 55.7% and of use of alcohol from 74.0% to 92.3%. Most risk behaviour prevalences were higher among adolescents with a lower educational level and those with two low-educated parents. These adolescents more commonly also had > 5 risk behaviours or psychosocial problems. The prevalence of depressive symptoms increased from 5.5% in 13-year-olds to 8.4% in 16-year-olds. The literature review showed that collective interventions, whether multifaceted or otherwise, may be particularly effective in the prevention of a high-risk lifestyle and overweight. Both indicated and collective prevention were effective for dealing with psychosocial problems.

Conclusion

Both prevalence and accumulation of risk behaviours and psychosocial health problems increase during adolescence. The risks of these are higher in young people with lower levels of education. Appropriate monitoring is particularly important in this group.

Conflict of interest and financial support: this study was commissioned by the Dutch Ministry of Health, Welfare and Sport.