Factors related to physical activity: a study of adolescents.

Although the consequences of physical activity have been carefully documented, less is known about its correlates, particularly among children and youth. Based on a representative national survey of 1131 Icelandic adolescents, the study examined various physical, psychological, social and demographic factors related to physical activity. Male sex, significant others' involvement in physical activity (father, friend and older brother), sociability, perceived importance of sport and of health improvement and satisfaction with mandatory gym classes in school, were all related to more involvement, whereas hours of paid work and TV-viewing were related to less. Furthermore, the data suggested that the influence of friend's participation in physical activity depends on his or her emotional significance. Influential others appeared to affect males and females in the same way. The meaning of the results and their implications for future research are discussed.

Manifest predictors of past suicide attempts in a population of Icelandic adolescents.

Past suicide attempts have been found to be a major risk factor for both repeated attempts and completed suicide. The utility of this is, however, limited by the fact that the majority of all suicide attempts never come to professional attention. This paper explores the possibility of using manifest indicators to predict which individuals in a population of adolescents have attempted suicide. Using logistic regression, manifest predictors in the categories of school, leisure, peer and parent relations, consumption, and contact with suicidal behavior could identify either a quarter of the population containing three quarters of all suicide attempters or 2% of the population where two thirds of those predicted actually had attempted suicide. It is thus concluded that manifest predictors can complement psychiatric screening methods by efficiently reducing the number to be screened.

Factors related to cigarette smoking and alcohol use among adolescents.

Based on a national survey of Icelandic adolescents, this study examined the various predictors of cigarette smoking and alcohol use. It was found that the use of tobacco and alcohol was related to a number of different factors: sex, residence, hours of paid work, physical activities, social network, educational performance and beliefs, and psychological distress. Further, smoking and drinking had most predictors in common. It was concluded that existing theoretical perspectives on juvenile deviance do not provide an adequate account of adolescent smoking and drinking. The need to integrate existing theories into a wider explanatory framework is discussed.

Sport participation and perceived health status: a study of adolescents.

Although it is a well-accepted notion that sport participation enhances health, the precise nature of the relationship has been unclear. Based on a national survey of Icelandic adolescents, this study evaluates the direct and indirect effects of sport participation on perceived health status. It is shown that sport participation has a substantial direct effect on perceived health, controlling for other health related behaviours, psychological distress and disease status. Sport participation also affects perceived health indirectly through distress and smoking, but does not seem to operate through alcohol consumption. The meaning of these results and their implications for future research are discussed.