title: [Results from the First National School Health Survey: Argentina, 2007].
abstract: BACKGROUND
  The Global School Health Survey (EMSE, in Spanish) has been implemented globally since 2003 to estimate the prevalence of mayor risk behaviours and protective factors among teenagers aged 13 to 15 year old. In 2007, the first EMSE was implemented in Argentina.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  To describe the prevalence of certain risk factors among youth attending high school in Argentina.
  
  
  METHODS
  A low stage probabilistic sampling was used to select 50 schools nationwide. All students in randomly selected classes were invited to fill the self-administered questionnaire including 75 questions on demographics, alcohol, tobacco and other drugs use, eating habits, hygiene, violence, mental health, physical activity, sexual activity and protective factors.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Overall, the survey was answered by 1980 students from 47 schools. We include in this report data related to alcohol, tobacco and other drugs, weight, physical and sexual activity. In the last 30 days, 56,8% had consumed alcohol and 25,5% cigarettes. Overall, 11,7% had tried an illegal drug in their lifetime. Nineteen percent is overweight and less than 81% has completed the minimum required exercise for their age. Also, 33,6% had already had sex; 10,4% before age 13 and less than half of them always use a contraceptive method.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  A high prevalence of sedentarism, overweight and substances use, like alcohol, tobacco and illegal drugs, was shown. The rate of condom use was low.
authors.affiliation: Dirección de Promoción de la Salud y Control de Enfermedades no Transmisibles, Ministerio de Salud de la Nación. brunolinetzky@yahoo.com.ar
authors.forename: Bruno
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Linetzky
authors.forename: Paola
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Morello
authors.forename: Mario
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Virgolini
authors.forename: Daniel
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Ferrante
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D001118:Argentina; D002648:Child; D005260:Female; D006306:Health Surveys; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D012307:Risk Factors