Vol. 2, Issue 2, Part A (2020)

Background: Adolescents are one sixth of the world’s population and account for 6% of the world’s global burden of disease and injury. The unique health issues associated with adolescence have been little understood and, in some cases,, ignored. Adolescence is a period when many risk or protective behaviours start or are consolidated which have major effects on future adult health. Examples include diet and physical activity, substance use and sexual risk behaviours. Objectives: i) To assess the magnitude of various behavioural risk factors among school going adolescents. Methodology: A cross sectional study design was adopted and the study was conducted in a total of 8 schools. 614 students in the age group of 10-19 years (adolescents) selected from high and higher secondary schools (both government and private) were included in the study. Data was collected using modified WHO Global School Based Health Survey Questionnaire which includes questions on various behavioural risk factors like dietary behaviours, mental health, physical activity, substance abuse and violence. Weight and height of the adolescents were also taken to assess their nutritional status. Results: In the present study 45% of the participants resorted to diet restriction. 32.9% of the participants had taken fast food in the last one week. 19.2% of the adolescents felt lonely either always or most of the time in the last 12 months. 18.2.5% of the participants had disturbed sleep either always or most of the time in the last 12 months and 8.8% of them reported having had suicidal thoughts in the past 12 months. 3.9% of the participants had ever smoked cigarettes, 3.9% had ever consumed alcohol & 1.8% had ever used drugs. 28.3% of the adolescents reported having been physically attacked, 25.6% reported having indulged in a physical fight and 12.5% reported having been bullied.29.5% had a screen time of 3 hours or more. Also 36.5% of the participants reported that there was no slot for physical activity in the school time table. Conclusion: A considerable proportion of the adolescents were undernourished. It was also observed that behavioral risk factors like unhealthy eating habits and lack of physical activity were quite prevalent in the adolescents. Some of the adolescents were also indulged in substance abuse while others felt lonely, had disturbed sleep or had suicidal thoughts.Health education on all these behavioural risk factors should be given in the schools in order to improve the health of the adolescents. Incorporation of life skills education in the school curriculum will help in improving the mental health of the adolescents