title: Body size and lifestyle in an urban population entering adulthood: the 'Grow up Gothenburg' study.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To present data on body size, lifestyle and health status in students in their final year in high schools in Gothenburg area, Sweden, with specific attention to origin and gender.
  
  
  METHODS
  Weight, height and waist circumference were measured by standardized procedures. Self-administered questionnaires described dietary habits, sleep, physical activity, body image, country of origin and general health.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Eighty-six percent of participants, (2600 girls, 2714 boys, mean age 18.6 years) were of Nordic origin, 86% reported no chronic health problems and 14%/19% of girls/boys were overweight or obese. Girls consumed more vegetables and fruits and fewer sweet drinks than boys, while breakfast consumption was most common in Nordic groups. Boys reported more positive answers than girls regarding body image. Nordic girls had more negative body image and higher morbidity compared with other groups.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Within this generally healthy cohort, boys were more likely to be overweight/obese than girls, although paradoxically boys were more satisfied with their appearance. Nordic girls constitute a group with particularly high risk of reporting low body self-esteem and chronic morbidity. In the longer term, the current cross-sectional data on body size, lifestyle and health will provide important baseline information for future follow-up studies of health outcomes in later life.
authors.affiliation: Department of Public Health and Community Medicine, Institute of Medicine, The Sahlgrenska Academy at University of Gothenburg, Sweden. agneta.sjoberg@gu.se
authors.forename: Agneta
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Sjöberg
authors.forename: Marie-Louise
authors.initials: ML
authors.lastname: Barrenäs
authors.forename: Ebba
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Brann
authors.forename: John Eric
authors.initials: JE
authors.lastname: Chaplin
authors.forename: Jovanna
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Dahlgren
authors.forename: Staffan
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Mårild
authors.forename: Lauren
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Lissner
authors.forename: Kerstin
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Albertsson-Wikland
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D001827:Body Height; D001828:Body Image; D049628:Body Size; D001835:Body Weight; D015444:Exercise; D005247:Feeding Behavior; D005260:Female; D006304:Health Status; D006801:Humans; D008019:Life Style; D008297:Male; D012649:Self Concept; D012890:Sleep; D013548:Sweden; D014505:Urban Population / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D055105:Waist Circumference; D055815:Young Adult