Open AccessWell-Being in Adolescence—An Association With Health-Related Behaviors
Author(s) -
Cara Booker,
Alexandra J. Skew,
Amanda Sacker,
Yvonne Kelly
Publication year - 2013
Publication title -
journal of early adolescence/the journal of early adolescence
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
eISSN - 1552-5449
pISSN - 0272-4316
DOI - 10.1177/0272431613501082
Subject(s) - happiness , odds , psychology , consumption (sociology) , association (psychology) , odds ratio , subjective well being , strengths and difficulties questionnaire , developmental psychology , environmental health , logistic regression , mental health , clinical psychology , social psychology , medicine , psychiatry , social science , pathology , sociology , psychotherapist
The objective of this study was to investigate the demographic distribution of selected health-related behaviors and their relationship with different indicators of well-being. The data come from Wave 1 of the youth panel of Understanding Society household panel study. The Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire (SDQ) measured socio-emotional difficulties. Markers of happiness in different life domains were combined to assess levels of happiness. Generally, younger youth participated in more health-protective behaviors, while older youth reported more health-risk behaviors. Higher consumption of fruit and vegetables and greater participation in sport were associated with higher odds of high happiness. Healthier eating was associated with lower odds of socio-emotional difficulties, while increased fast food consumption was associated with higher odds of socio-emotional difficulties. Smoking, drinking, and decreased sport participation were all associated with socio-emotional difficulties. Health-protective behaviors were associated with happiness, while health-risk behaviors were associated with socio-emotional difficulties. © The Author(s) 2013