The effects of parental attitudes on health behaviors of adolescents attending 6th to 8th grades in Turkey

Background: This study aims to determine the relationship between parental attitudes and health behaviors of adolescents attending 6th, 7th, and 8th grades in Turkey. Methods : The population of this cross-sectional study includes the 6th, 7th and 8th grades of primary schools located in the city of Manisa (n = 63,424). The sample size was calculated as 759 by taking the pattern effect as 2 and considering the standard error as 0.05 at 50 % prevalence and 95 % confidence interval. In the study, three questionnaires including questions consistent with the goal of the study were used. The questionnaires used included a socio-demographic questionnaire, parental attitudes inventory and the health behavior questionnaire of HBSC (Health Behavior in School-aged Children) survey instrument. Results : It was found that 70.8 % of the adolescents participating in the study did not have a regular diet. Furthermore, 19.9 % of the adolescents had at least a 60-min physical activity daily. Of the adolescents in the study, 45.1 % watched television for 2 or more h/day. A total of 38.3 % of the participants in the study had experienced injuries requiring medical attention and treatment over the past year. Furthermore, 61.2 % of the participants in the study had been involved in fights during the past year. It was revealed that 2.1 % of the adolescents in the study were smokers and 13.1 % of the adolescents in the study had tried alcohol. The results of the study revealed a statistically significant difference between parental attitudes of smokers/nonsmokers and those who had been involved in or had not been involved in fights over the past year (p< 0.05). Conclusions : In conclusion, it is suggested that training parents on parental attitudes can influence students ' health behaviors in a positive manner. © 2010 by Walter de Gruyter Berlin New York