Page 82 - Petelin, Ana, et al. 2019. Eds. Zdravje otrok in mladostnikov / Health of Children and Adolescents. Proceedings. Koper: University of Primorska Press
P. 82
Family meals 3-4/week or more OR 95% CI
1-2/week or less 1.00 1.19-2.78
Feelings of depression No 1.82** 0.97-2.48
Breakfast consumption Yes 1.00 1.18-2.87
every weekday Yes 1.55 1.41-3.31
Energy drinks consump- No 1.00 2.76-6.86
tion every day No 1.84**
Sexual intercourse Yes 1.00
No 2.16***
Yes 1.00
4.35***
n= 1094; p= 0.070; percentage of the variation explained = 52.3 %
a continuous variable *p<0.05; **p<0.01; ***p<0.001
zdravje otrok in mladostnikov | health of children and adolescents 80 Discussion
14.7% of 15-year-old students from Slovenia reported HPU, which is more than
in some other studies (Hibell, et al., 2012). As elsewhere, the strongest associa-
tions were found between HPU and exposure to high number of substance us-
ing peers (Connell, et al., 2010; Harakeh, et al., 2012; Brooks-Russell et al., 2015;
Tomczyk, et al., 2015). HPU was most strongly associated with tobacco using
peers; therefore, tobacco control and prevention seem to be an opportunity to
decrease PU.
To understand peer influence, also other factors need to be explored, such
as spending time with peers (Connell, et al., 2010; Harakeh, et al., 2012), which
is associated with HPU in our study and may reflect higher exposure to sub-
stance using peers and low parental monitoring (Harakeh, et al., 2012). Litera-
ture shows that strong parental monitoring and good family relationships are
protective of PU (Connell, et al., 2010; Brooks-Russell, et al., 2015; Chan, et al.,
2017). The building blocks of healthy family relationships are many and fami-
ly meals may represent one of these by providing space and time spent togeth-
er (Skeer, et al., 2013). Our study shows regular family meals to be protective
against HPU.
Supporting previous findings of positive associations between PU and
other risk behaviours (Connell, et al., 2009; Harakeh, et al., 2012; Tomczyk, et
al., 2015), early sexual intercourse and fighting were associated with HPU. Lit-
erature examining multiple risk behaviours in adolescence proves that risk be-
haviours usually cluster and co-occur with unhealthy lifestyle (de la Haye, et
al., 2014); in our study HPU is associated with irregular breakfast and daily
consumption of energy drinks.
Among school factors, lower perceived school performance was associat-
ed with HPU, the finding that goes in line with some other studies (Connell, et
al., 2010; Chan, et al., 2017). Other school factors were not significant, although
they showed importance elsewhere (Connell, et al., 2010; Harakeh, et al., 2012;
Tomczyk, et al., 2015; Chan, et al., 2017). Nevertheless, school can provide sup-
1-2/week or less 1.00 1.19-2.78
Feelings of depression No 1.82** 0.97-2.48
Breakfast consumption Yes 1.00 1.18-2.87
every weekday Yes 1.55 1.41-3.31
Energy drinks consump- No 1.00 2.76-6.86
tion every day No 1.84**
Sexual intercourse Yes 1.00
No 2.16***
Yes 1.00
4.35***
n= 1094; p= 0.070; percentage of the variation explained = 52.3 %
a continuous variable *p<0.05; **p<0.01; ***p<0.001
zdravje otrok in mladostnikov | health of children and adolescents 80 Discussion
14.7% of 15-year-old students from Slovenia reported HPU, which is more than
in some other studies (Hibell, et al., 2012). As elsewhere, the strongest associa-
tions were found between HPU and exposure to high number of substance us-
ing peers (Connell, et al., 2010; Harakeh, et al., 2012; Brooks-Russell et al., 2015;
Tomczyk, et al., 2015). HPU was most strongly associated with tobacco using
peers; therefore, tobacco control and prevention seem to be an opportunity to
decrease PU.
To understand peer influence, also other factors need to be explored, such
as spending time with peers (Connell, et al., 2010; Harakeh, et al., 2012), which
is associated with HPU in our study and may reflect higher exposure to sub-
stance using peers and low parental monitoring (Harakeh, et al., 2012). Litera-
ture shows that strong parental monitoring and good family relationships are
protective of PU (Connell, et al., 2010; Brooks-Russell, et al., 2015; Chan, et al.,
2017). The building blocks of healthy family relationships are many and fami-
ly meals may represent one of these by providing space and time spent togeth-
er (Skeer, et al., 2013). Our study shows regular family meals to be protective
against HPU.
Supporting previous findings of positive associations between PU and
other risk behaviours (Connell, et al., 2009; Harakeh, et al., 2012; Tomczyk, et
al., 2015), early sexual intercourse and fighting were associated with HPU. Lit-
erature examining multiple risk behaviours in adolescence proves that risk be-
haviours usually cluster and co-occur with unhealthy lifestyle (de la Haye, et
al., 2014); in our study HPU is associated with irregular breakfast and daily
consumption of energy drinks.
Among school factors, lower perceived school performance was associat-
ed with HPU, the finding that goes in line with some other studies (Connell, et
al., 2010; Chan, et al., 2017). Other school factors were not significant, although
they showed importance elsewhere (Connell, et al., 2010; Harakeh, et al., 2012;
Tomczyk, et al., 2015; Chan, et al., 2017). Nevertheless, school can provide sup-
