Clustering of Multiple Risk Behaviors among Ethnically Diverse Adolescents Living in Hawaii

Abstract

The current study examined the prevalence and clustering of 5 health-risk behaviors among adolescents in Hawaii, including physical inactivity, low fruit and vegetable consumption, junk food consumption, excessive television time, and inadequate sleep. High school students were recruited from 5 classrooms in Oahu Hawaii. Data were collected in the spring semester of 2011. Proportions were used to describe the prevalence of single and multiple health risk behaviors. Significant health behavior clusters were revealed using an observed-to-expected (O/E) ratio method. Participating adolescents (n = 114) were 11th and 12th grade students with a mean age of 16.28 (SD = 0.62). Participants were predominantly female (75%) and Filipino-American (68%). Seventy-seven percent of adolescents were physically inactive, 90% watched excessive TV, 66% consumed inadequate fruits and vegetables, 94% reported inadequate levels of sleep, and 80% consumed excessive junk food. Overall, 94% reported at least 3 risk factors, 73% reported at least 4 risk factors, and 37% reported all 5 risk factors. No significant clusters were found. Conclusion: Health-risk behaviors cluster and occur more often than expected among adolescents living in Hawaii. Non-significant clustering may be due to insufficient variability within the sample data; future examinations of this highly understudied population are necessary.