How Family Structure Can Influence Adolescents’ Eating Habits: An Italian Health Behaviour in School-Aged Children (HBSC) 2022 Sample
Background/Objectives: Adolescence is an important period of psychophysical development. In this phase of life people acquire greater self-awareness and adopt behaviors that will later shape their lifestyle in adulthood. This study aimed to assess whether family structure can influence adolescents’...
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| Main Authors: | , , , , , , , |
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
| Published: |
MDPI AG
2024-11-01
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| Series: | Children |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | https://www.mdpi.com/2227-9067/11/11/1368 |
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| Summary: | Background/Objectives: Adolescence is an important period of psychophysical development. In this phase of life people acquire greater self-awareness and adopt behaviors that will later shape their lifestyle in adulthood. This study aimed to assess whether family structure can influence adolescents’ eating habits. Methods: Data were acquired from a survey titled ‘Italian Health Behaviour in School-aged Children’ (HBSC) given to a representative sample of Tuscan adolescents aged 11, 13, 15 and 17 years of age. Participants (3210) filled out a validated questionnaire answering questions about their eating habits and family structure. After adjusting for covariates, some interesting trends were highlighted in the survey results. Results: Adolescents living in single-mother families reported a lower intake of fruits (OR 0.68, 95% CI = 0.55–0.83) and vegetables (OR 0.66, 95% CI = 0.53–0.81) and a higher intake of sugar-added soft drinks (OR 1.33, 95% CI = 1.08–1.64). Living in a mother and stepfather family was associated with a higher intake of sugar-added soft drinks (OR 1.53, 95% CI = 1.02–2.28), whereas living in a father and stepmother family was associated only with a lower intake of fruits (OR 0.48, 95% CI = 0.26–0.87). Participants living with other family types reported a lower intake of vegetables (OR 0.68, 95% CI = 0.47–0.98). Conclusions: The results of this study show a correlation between family structure and adolescents’ eating habits. |
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| ISSN: | 2227-9067 |