title: Patterns of clustering of six health-compromising behaviours in Saudi adolescents.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Clustering of multiple health-compromising behaviours is associated with an increased risk of various chronic diseases. There are few studies on patterns of clustering of multiple health-compromising behaviours in adolescents. Therefore, the aim of this study is to assess how six health-compromising behaviours, namely, low fruit consumption, high sweet consumption, less frequent tooth brushing, low physical activity, physical fighting and smoking, cluster among Saudi male adolescents.
  
  
  METHODS
  A representative stratified cluster random sample of 1,335 Saudi Arabian male adolescents living in Riyadh city answered a questionnaire on health-related behaviours. Hierarchical Agglomerative Cluster Analysis (HACA) was used to identify cluster solutions of the six health-compromising behaviours.
  
  
  RESULTS
  HACA suggested two broad and stable clusters for the six health-compromising behaviours. The first cluster included low fruit consumption, less frequent tooth brushing and low physical activity. The second cluster included high sweets consumption, smoking and physical fighting.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The six health-compromising behaviours clustered into two conceptually distinct clusters among Saudi Arabian male adolescents, one reflecting non-adherence to preventive behaviours and the second undertaking of risk behaviours. Clustering of health behaviours has important implications for health promotion.
authors.forename: Saeed G
authors.initials: SG
authors.lastname: Alzahrani
authors.affiliation: Research Department of Epidemiology and Public Health, University College London, 1-19 Torrington Place, London WC1E 6BT, UK. r.watt@ucl.ac.uk.
authors.forename: Richard G
authors.initials: RG
authors.lastname: Watt
authors.forename: Aubrey
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Sheiham
authors.forename: Maria
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Aresu
authors.forename: Georgios
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Tsakos
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000294:Adolescent Behavior; D000328:Adult; D016000:Cluster Analysis; D004032:Diet / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D015444:Exercise; D015438:Health Behavior; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D009910:Oral Hygiene / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D012309:Risk-Taking; D012529:Saudi Arabia; D012907:Smoking; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D055815:Young Adult