title: [Comparison of Health-related Behavior Patterns of Boys and Girls in Germany: Results of the MoMo Study].
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  For optimal health promotion in adolescents, it is important to know their typical behavior patterns. The aims of this study were to identify and compare sex-specific health-related behavior patterns of adolescents in Germany.
  
  
  METHODS
  The KiGGS Survey and the MoMo Study assessed the health behavior of 832 boys and 811 girls by means of a questionnaire. The indices physical activity, diet quality and media use were included in cluster analyses for boys and girls separately.
  
  
  RESULTS
  For each sex, 4 clusters with similar characteristics on the three included indices were identified. However, cluster size, level of the characteristics and correlates were different in boys and girls: fewer girls showed high activity levels. Overall, physical activity and media use were less pronounced in the behavior pattern of girls. There was a stronger association of behavior patterns with socio-economic status in girls. In boys, behavior patterns were significantly associated with prevalence of overweight.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The similar cluster solutions for boys and girls support the assumption that there are typical health-related behavior patterns among German adolescents. This finding might facilitate the precise definition of homogeneous target groups for health promotion programs. Furthermore, it seems that sex-specific foci should be set.
authors.affiliation: Technische Universität München, Fakultät für Sport- und Gesundheitswissenschaften, München.
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Spengler
authors.affiliation: Technische Universität München, Fakultät für Sport- und Gesundheitswissenschaften, München.
authors.forename: F
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Mess
authors.affiliation: Karlsruher Institut für Technologie, Institut für Sport und Sportwissenschaft, Karlsruhe.
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Woll
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000294:Adolescent Behavior; D016000:Cluster Analysis; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D015444:Exercise; D005260:Female; D005858:Germany; D015438:Health Behavior; D006293:Health Promotion; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D050177:Overweight; D012725:Sexual Behavior; D012959:Socioeconomic Factors