title: Patterns of health-related behaviours among adolescents: a cross-sectional study based on the National Survey of School Health Brazil 2012.
abstract: The aim of this study was to analyse the clustering of multiple health-related behaviours among adolescents and describe which socio-demographic characteristics are associated with these patterns.
  
  
  
  Cross-sectional study.
  
  
  
  Brazilian schools assessed by the National Survey of School Health (PeNSE, 2012).
  
  
  
  104 109 Brazilian ninth-grade students from public and private schools (response rate=82.7%).
  
  
  
  Exploratory and confirmatory factor analyses were performed to identify behaviour clustering and linear regression models were used to identify socio-demographic characteristics associated with each one of these behaviour patterns.
  
  
  
  We identified a good fit model with three behaviour patterns. The first was labelled 'problem-behaviour' and included aggressive behaviour, alcohol consumption, smoking, drug use and unsafe sex; the second was labelled 'health-compromising diet and sedentary behaviours' and included unhealthy food indicators and sedentary behaviour; and the third was labelled 'health-promoting diet and physical activity' and included healthy food indicators and physical activity. No differences in behaviour patterns were found between genders. The problem-behaviour pattern was associated with male gender, older age, more developed region (socially and economically) and public schools (compared with private). The 'health-compromising diet and sedentary behaviours' pattern was associated with female gender, older age, mothers with higher education level and more developed region. The 'health-promoting diet and physical activity' pattern was associated with male gender and mothers with higher education level.
  
  
  
  Three health-related behaviour patterns were found among Brazilian adolescents. Interventions to decrease those negative patterns should take into account how these behaviours cluster together and the individuals most at risk.
authors.affiliation: School of Medicine-Federal University of Uberlandia (Faculdade de Medicina-Universidade Federal de Uberlândia), Uberlandia, Brazil.
authors.forename: Catarina Machado
authors.initials: CM
authors.lastname: Azeredo
authors.affiliation: School of Medicine-University of Sao Paulo (Faculdade de Medicina-Universidade de São Paulo), Sao Paulo, Brazil.
authors.forename: Renata Bertazzi
authors.initials: RB
authors.lastname: Levy
authors.affiliation: School of Medicine-University of Sao Paulo (Faculdade de Medicina-Universidade de São Paulo), Sao Paulo, Brazil.
authors.forename: Maria Fernanda Tourinho
authors.initials: MF
authors.lastname: Peres
authors.affiliation: School of Medicine-University of Sao Paulo (Faculdade de Medicina-Universidade de São Paulo), Sao Paulo, Brazil.
authors.forename: Paulo Rossi
authors.initials: PR
authors.lastname: Menezes
authors.affiliation: Department of Population Health, London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, Centre for Global Mental Health, London, UK.
authors.forename: Ricardo
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Araya
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000294:Adolescent Behavior; D000428:Alcohol Drinking; D001938:Brazil; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D003617:Dangerous Behavior; D000072001:Diet, Healthy; D015444:Exercise; D005191:Family Characteristics; D005260:Female; D015438:Health Behavior; D006801:Humans; D016014:Linear Models; D008297:Male; D012572:School Health Services; D012574:Schools; D057185:Sedentary Behavior; D057566:Self Report; D012907:Smoking; D013334:Students
keywords: adolescents; factor analysis; health-risk behaviours; multiple risk behaviours