@article{ref1,
title="Clustering of risk factors for noncommunicable diseases in Brazilian adolescents: prevalence and correlates",
journal="Journal of physical activity and health",
year="2014",
author="Cureau, Felipe Vogt and Duarte, Paola and Lopes Dos Santos, Daniela and Reichert, Felipe Fossati",
volume="11",
number="",
pages="942-949",
abstract="BACKGROUND: Few studies have investigated the prevalence and correlates of risk factors for noncommunicable diseases among Brazilian adolescents. We evaluated the clustering of risk factors and their associations with sociodemographic variables. <br><br>METHODS: We used a cross-sectional study carried out in 2011 comprising 1132 students aged 14-19 years from Santa Maria, Brazil. The cluster index was created as the sum of the risk factors. For the correlates analysis, a multinomial logistic regression was used. Furthermore, the observed/expected ratio was calculated. <br><br>RESULTS: Prevalence of individual risk factors studied was as follows: 85.8% unhealthy diets, 53.5% physical inactivity, 31.3% elevated blood pressure, 23.9% overweight, 22.3% excessive drinking alcohol, and 8.6% smoking. Only 2.8% of the adolescents did not present any risk factor, while 21.7%, 40.9%, 23.1%, and 11.5% presented 1, 2, 3, and 4 or more risk factors, respectively. The most prevalent combination was between unhealthy diets and physical inactivity (observed/expected ratio =1.32; 95% CI: 1.16-1.49). Clustering of risk factors was directly associated with age and inversely associated with socioeconomic status. <br><br>CONCLUSIONS: Clustering of risk factors for noncommunicable diseases is high in Brazilian adolescents. Preventive strategies are more likely to be successful if focusing on multiple risk factors, instead of a single one.<p /> <p>Language: en</p>",
language="en",
issn="1543-3080",
doi="10.1123/jpah.2012-0247",
url="http://dx.doi.org/10.1123/jpah.2012-0247"
}