[Individualized health behavior? Social structures, peer influences and life style as modifying factors of nutritional behavior of adolescents].
OBJECTIVE
Health behaviours are often explained as being determined by health knowledge, occupation, education and income. Yet, in increasingly individualized societies individuals are brought to develop personal strategies of orientation and behaviours, the later being detached from traditional status or class membership. The present study (secondary analysis) explores to what extent health behaviours are more or less individualized or still linked to social living conditions.


METHODS
Eating behaviours and social status are based on a 2001 questionnaire survey among 393 randomly selected adolescents from the city of Leipzig, Germany.


RESULTS
The findings show a distinct social patterning of eating behaviours. Those patterns can be explained as part of adolescents' lifestyles. Findings also indicate that the patterns of eating behaviours are strongly linked to the social background of those adolescents.


CONCLUSIONS
It is concluded that for adolescents raised in deprived social conditions it is more difficult to develop health preferences conducive for health promoting behaviours.
Beckert-Zieglschmid
Claudia
C
Institut für Kulturwissenschaften, Universität Leipzig, Deutschland. claudia.beckert-zieglschmid@medizin.uni
D000293:Adolescent; D005247:Feeding Behavior / Q000523:psychology*; D005260:Female; D005858:Germany; D015438:Health Behavior; D007722:Health Knowledge, Attitudes, Practice; D006801:Humans; D007206:Individuality; D007389:Internal-External Control; D008019:Life Style; D008297:Male; D009749:Nutrition Surveys; D010290:Parents / Q000523:psychology; D010379:Peer Group; D000297:Psychology, Adolescent; D012923:Social Class; D012931:Social Environment; D012951:Socialization; D012959:Socioeconomic Factors; D014505:Urban Population