The association between body mass index and health literacy in high school Students

ObjectivesFor adolescents and young adults, most health literacy research has been conducted in Western countries, but few studies have been conducted in the Eastern Mediterranean region (EMR). This review aimed to explore the existing health literacy research in the EMR in addition to the levels of health literacy and its associated factors among adolescents and young adults.MethodsThe search, conducted using the PubMed/MEDLINE, EBSCOhost/CINAHL plus, Web of Science and J-STAGE databases, was initially performed on 16 June 2022 and later updated on 1 October 2022. Studies that targeted 10–25 years old persons, conducted in any of the EMR countries and that used the health literacy concept and/or described its levels or predictors were included in the review. Content analysis was used for data extraction and analysis. Data related to the study methods, participants, outcome variables and health literacy were extracted.ResultsThe review included 82 studies, most of which were conducted in Iran and Turkey and adopted a cross-sectional design. Half of the studies showed that more than half of adolescents and young adults had low or moderate health literacy. Nine studies applied university-based or school-based health education interventions to improve health literacy, which was also predicted by demographic and socioeconomic factors and internet usage. Little attention was paid to assessing the health literacy of vulnerable people, such as refugees and those with a disability and exposed to violence. Finally, various health literacy topics were investigated, including nutrition, non-communicable diseases, media and depression.ConclusionHealth literacy levels were low-to-moderate in adolescents and young adults in the EMR. To promote health literacy, it is recommended to use school-based health education and attempt to reach adolescents and young adults through social media platforms. More attention should be paid to refugees, people with disabilities and those exposed to violence.

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Health literacy among adolescents and young adults in the Eastern Mediterranean region: a scoping review

Fujiya

Kiriya

Nakajima

et al. 2023

BMJ Open

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The relationship between tooth decay with stress and BMI among elementary students in Iran

Hosseinpour

Panahi

Omidi

et al. 2022

Front. Public Health

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BackgroundTooth decay is one of the most common chronic diseases among children worldwide. Stress and body mass index are also amongst the arguable risk factors which will affect people considerably. They include biological (hormones and blood sugar), socio-economic, and environmental factors and also lifestyle. In the present study, the relationship between tooth decay with stress and BMI in children was therefore investigated.Materials and methodsThis was a cross-sectional study of a descriptive-analytical type. A total of 350 students who were referred to the clinic of the faculty of dentistry at Qazvin University of Medical Sciences during 2021–2022 were selected through convenience sampling method to participate in the study. First, the students underwent a dental examination after being measured on their height and weight. Then, two questionnaires; namely, demographic information and Children's Stress Symptom Scale (CSSS) of Scherer and Ryan-Wenger were completed by the children's parents through self-reporting. The collected data were analyzed using SPSS software version 23 and then descriptive statistics and logistic regression were applied.ResultsThe mean BMI of the participating students was in the normal range. The prevalence of tooth decay among participants was 76.9% (269 people). The mean and standard deviation of stress scores was 6.85 ± 4.01 out of 26, which was at a low level. Also, the mean and standard deviation of the BMI were 22.78 ± 5.28, which was within the normal range. The results of the logistic regression showed that the variables of “father's level of education,” “family's economic status,” “the experience of the toothache during the past year,” “the oral health status,” “the frequency of tooth brushing,” “flossing,” “stress,” and “BMI” were influential factors in tooth decay (P <0.05).ConclusionStudents who had improper BMI, more stress, less educated fathers, families with poor economic status, the experience of toothache within the past year, poor oral health status, and those who used toothbrushes and floss to a minimal degree suffered more tooth decay. Therefore, it is necessary that we pay more attention to these students in designing and implementing educational programs to prevent tooth decay.

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Level of Health Literacy among High School Students and Associated Factors

Üner Asil,

Kara,

Aygün

et al. 2024

Halk Sağlığı Hemşireliği Dergisi

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Objective: Identifying the factors that influence health literacy among high school students is vital for improving health education and promoting effective health initiatives. This study aims to evaluate the health literacy levels of high school students and identify the associated factors influencing them. Methods: A descriptive-correlational study was conducted involving 681 high school students from the Fethiye district in Turkey. Data collection utilized a sociodemographic data Form alongside the Health Literacy Scale for School-Age Children. Chi-square tests and multiple logistic regression analyses were applied to explore the relationships between health literacy levels and various socio-demographic and health-related factors. Results: In this study, students' health literacy scores are at a medium level. The results showed significant associations between health literacy levels and factors such as age, economic status, perceived general and mental health, and daily internet and social media usage (p

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The association between body mass index and health literacy in high school Students

Cited by 4 publications

References 24 publications

Health literacy among adolescents and young adults in the Eastern Mediterranean region: a scoping review

Health literacy among adolescents and young adults in the Eastern Mediterranean region: a scoping review

The relationship between tooth decay with stress and BMI among elementary students in Iran

Level of Health Literacy among High School Students and Associated Factors

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