Eating habits and weight status in Finnish adolescents

Abstract

<i>Objective</i>: To investigate the association between eating habits and weight status in adolescents in Finland.<p><p>

<i>Design</i>: Cross-sectional study.<p><p>

<i>Setting</i>: The Finnish Health in Teens (Fin-HIT) study is a cohort study conducted in adolescents attending third to sixth grade in 496 schools in forty-four municipalities in Southern, Middle and Northern Finland in 2011–2014.<p><p>

<i>Participants</i>: Analyses included 10 569 adolescents from the Fin-HIT study aged 9–14 years (5005 boys and 5564 girls). Adolescents were categorized by their eating habits: healthy eaters (44·1 %; <i>n</i> 4661), unhealthy eaters (12·3 %; <i>n</i> 1298), and fruit and vegetable avoiders (43·6 %; <i>n</i> 4610); and they were grouped into weight status: underweight (11·1 %), normal weight (73·6 %) and excess weight (15·3 %).<p><p>

<i>Results</i>: We found an increased risk of underweight in fruit and vegetable avoiders (OR = 1·28; 95 % CI 1·12, 1·46). An irregular breakfast pattern showed an inverse association with underweight (OR = 0·70; 95 % CI 0·59, 0·84) and an increased risk of excess weight (OR = 1·56; 95 % CI 1·37, 1·77) compared with a regular breakfast pattern. An irregular dinner pattern was inversely associated with underweight (OR = 0·83; 95 % CI 0·69, 0·99) compared with a regular dinner pattern.<p><p>

<i>Conclusions</i>: Avoiding fruits and vegetables and following irregular breakfast and dinner patterns were associated with underweight and excess weight in adolescents.