title: A prevention program for multiple health-compromising behaviors in adolescence: baseline results from a cluster randomized controlled trial.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To describe the design and present the baseline findings of the evaluation study of 'Paesaggi di Prevenzione', a school-based prevention program tackling smoking, alcohol misuse, dietary risks, and physical inactivity in 12- to 14-year-olds.
  
  
  METHODS
  The program was implemented from January 2011 to April 2012 in Emilia-Romagna, Italy, and comprised classroom activities and school-wide policies. A two-arm cluster randomized controlled trial was designed. Schools were the units of randomization and were matched by socioeconomic status, size, and type.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Data from 4700 middle school students and 2952 high school students were collected anonymously from October to December 2010. Past-30-day smoking prevalence was 1.9% among middle school students and 20.8% among high school students. Past-30-day prevalence of alcohol intoxication was 2.2% among middle school students and 11.4% among high school students. A total of 39.7% of middle school students and 48.0% of high school students drank sugar-sweetened beverages four or more times per week; 7.5% of middle school students and 7.1% of high school students had intense physical activity every day.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  This study seems adequately powered and baseline variables appear evenly distributed between study groups. Findings are in line with those of the WHO Health Behaviour in School-Aged Children study.
authors.affiliation: Department of Translational Medicine, Avogadro University, Novara, Italy; School of Public Health, University of Torino, Torino, Italy. Electronic address: elias.allara@med.unipmn.it.
authors.forename: Elias
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Allara
authors.affiliation: Public Health Unit, Emilia-Romagna Regional Authority, Bologna, Italy.
authors.forename: Paola
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Angelini
authors.affiliation: Environmental and Occupational Epidemiology Unit, Cancer Prevention and Research Institute (ISPO), Florence, Italy.
authors.forename: Giuseppe
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Gorini
authors.affiliation: Italian League against Cancer (LILT), Reggio Emilia, Italy.
authors.forename: Sandra
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Bosi
authors.affiliation: Environmental and Occupational Epidemiology Unit, Cancer Prevention and Research Institute (ISPO), Florence, Italy.
authors.forename: Giulia
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Carreras
authors.affiliation: Italian League against Cancer (LILT), Reggio Emilia, Italy.
authors.forename: Cristina
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Gozzi
authors.affiliation: Environmental and Occupational Epidemiology Unit, Cancer Prevention and Research Institute (ISPO), Florence, Italy.
authors.forename: Andrea
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Martini
authors.affiliation: Italian League against Cancer (LILT), Reggio Emilia, Italy.
authors.forename: Marco
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Tamelli
authors.affiliation: Italian League against Cancer (LILT), Reggio Emilia, Italy.
authors.forename: Simone
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Storani
authors.affiliation: Department of Translational Medicine, Avogadro University, Novara, Italy.
authors.forename: Fabrizio
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Faggiano
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000294:Adolescent Behavior; D000428:Alcohol Drinking / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000517:prevention & control*; D001628:Beverages; D002648:Child; D016000:Cluster Analysis; D004032:Diet; D005247:Feeding Behavior; D005260:Female; D015438:Health Behavior; D006293:Health Promotion / Q000379:methods*; D006801:Humans; D007558:Italy / Q000453:epidemiology; D008297:Male; D009043:Motor Activity; D015397:Program Evaluation; D012309:Risk-Taking; D012574:Schools; D012907:Smoking / Q000453:epidemiology; D000074606:Smoking Prevention; D013334:Students; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires
keywords: Adolescence; Alcohol; Cluster randomized controlled trial; Dietary risks; Eating behavior; Evidence-based prevention; Physical activity; School-based prevention; Tobacco; Youth