Health risk behaviour in adolescence

Kolip P, Bucksch J. Gesundheitsriskantes Verhalten im Jugendalter. Monatsschrift Kinderheilkunde. 2012;160(7):657-661.Health risk behaviour is an important issue for health promotion and prevention. Analyzing social determinants of health-related behaviour provides indications for the design and implementation of health promotion and prevention. The article reports the results of the German Health Behaviour in School-aged Children study (HBSC) 2009/2010. A total of 5,005 adolescents aged 11-15 years from secondary schools in all federal states except one (Baden-Wurttemberg) filled in a standardized questionnaire. The study focused on health-related behaviour as well as self-rated health and social determinants. 6.4% of 11 to 15-year-old girls and 5.9% of boys at the same age smoked at least once a week. Alcohol consumption increased with age showing that 15.3% of 15-year-old girls and 28.1% of boys at the same age drank alcohol at least once a week with adolescents from affluent families showing higher prevalence rates. Every tenth adolescent reported having tried cannabis. Although health risk behaviour is decreasing, alcohol, tobacco and illegal drugs still need attention for intervention, especially in terms of variations