Valoración del estado de salud físico y psicosocial en los adolescentes de La Rioja: influencia de los hábitos de vida y los factores sociodemográficos
The physical, psychological, social, sexual and behavioral changes originated in adolescence give rise to greater vulnerability at this stage, affecting both lifestyle and physical and psychosocial well-being. The aim of this doctoral thesis is to analyze the health status of adolescents in La Rioja in terms of different indicators of physical, mental and social well-being, as well as to evaluate the influence of lifestyle habits and socio demographic factors on it. To achieve this, cardio-respiratory capacity, body composition, self-esteem, quality of life, body image, adherence to the Mediterranean diet, level of physical activity, hours of sleep at night, academic performance and various socio-demographic factors were studied in a representative sample of 761 adolescents, corresponding to 45 classrooms in 25 educational centers of Compulsory Secondary Education, with a distribution of 383 in the first grade and 378 in the fourth. 19.6% of the adolescents presented overweight and 6.7% obesity. In addition, 42.7% expressed a desire to be thinner, an aspect associated with a lower self-esteem, these figures being higher in the case of girls and older adolescents. In contrast, physical activity turned out to be a predictor of mental well-being, a well-being that was influenced by variables such as nationality or socioeconomic level. In relation to lifestyle habits, direct associations were found between the Mediterranean diet, physical activity and hours of sleep at night. Being a girl was a predictor of greater adherence to the aforementioned diet and of a lower level of physical activity. In addition, both variables were influenced by aspects such as socioeconomic level, the environment for the realization of the physical activity or body satisfaction. Finally, socio-demographic factors such as age, sex, nationality or the location of the educational center were shown to have an influence on lifestyle habits and health status. In this regard, it is noteworthy that both boys and those attending centers in rural areas reported better mental well-being, while migrants and older adolescents reported less healthy lifestyles. The results obtained highlight the need to address adolescent health through global and multidisciplinary interventions by the competent health agencies.
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