Adolescent health behavior patterns and weight status: a cross-sectional analysis

Area of Science:

• Adolescent health behaviors
• Obesity prevention
• Behavioral science

Background:

• Adolescent weight status is influenced by multiple behaviors, but traditional analyses may hide important patterns.
• Person-centered approaches are crucial for understanding how distinct health behavior patterns relate to Body Mass Index (BMI).

Purpose of the Study:

• To identify distinct patterns of adolescent health behaviors.
• To examine the association between these identified behavior patterns and BMI categories in adolescents.

Main Methods:

• A cross-sectional survey was conducted with 1,212 students in grades 7-8 in Lin'an District, Hangzhou, China.
• Latent class analysis was used to identify health behavior patterns based on diet, sugary drink consumption, outdoor activity, anxiety control, and weight management awareness/needs.
• Logistic regression analyses adjusted for demographic and psychosocial factors to assess associations between pattern membership and BMI status.

Main Results:

• Three distinct adolescent health behavior patterns were identified: passive health maintenance (50.9%), self-disciplined health (32.7%), and high-risk lifestyle (16.5%).
• Compared to the self-disciplined group, the passive group had significantly higher risks of overweight (OR=1.62) and obesity (OR=1.68). The high-risk group showed a trend toward increased obesity risk (OR=1.57).
• Female students and eighth-graders had lower risks of overweight and obesity, respectively. Good sleep quality was associated with lower risk of belonging to the high-risk group, while emotional eating increased the risk of belonging to the passive group.

Conclusions:

• Distinct adolescent health behavior patterns are associated with varying weight outcomes, including a significant overweight risk within the large 'passive health maintenance' group.
• This 'moderate-risk blind spot' underscores the need for targeted interventions beyond high-risk individuals.
• Tailoring obesity prevention strategies based on identified behavioral clusters and individual sociodemographic contexts is essential for effective adolescent weight management.