[Nutritional and sedentary habits associated with suicidal behavior in Argentine adolescents: CHAID decision tree]

adolescent mental health is related to lifestyles. The objective was to analyze the factors of nutritional and sedentary habits associated with suicidal behavior in Argentine adolescents.

analytical and cross-sectional study based on questions from the Argentine School Health Survey, made up of 56,981 schoolchildren aged 13 to 17 years. The classification tree was used through automatic detection of chi-square interactions (CHAID), Odds Ratio (OR), prevalence ratio (PR), sensitivity (S), specificity (E), positive and negative predictive value (PPV and VPN).

the CHAID tree for suicidal ideation, planning and attempts included as associated factors: eating food high in fat and salt 2 or more times a day, not being physically active for 60 minutes a day on any day of the week and spending 3 or more hours a day in activities sitting or lying down. Based on the main nodes of the CHAID tree, adolescents with the characteristics of the 10-5-1 nodes had suicidal ideation 2.14 times more often than adolescents from other nodes (OR=2.14; 95%CI=1.78- 2.56), for suicide planning, nodes 7-3-1 had an association 1.78 times greater (OR=1.78:;C95%=1.61-1.963). For suicide attempt, nodes 10-5-2 had a 2.35 times greater association (OR=2.35; 95%CI=2.04-2.71). The specificity values were close to 100% in ideation (E=99.30%), planning (E=97.50%) and suicidal intention (E=98.60%).

The consumption pattern of salty and high-fat foods, combined with physical inactivity, is associated with suicidal behaviors among Argentine adolescents.