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Chronic backpain among adolescents is important because the prevalence is high, above 10%, and more than 10% of all adolescents experience impacts on important day-to-day activities. Chronic backpain tracks into adulthood and is associated with several health problems. The objective was to study trends in the prevalence of chronic backpain among adolescents 1991–2018, to examine the association with socioeconomic status (SES), and whether this association changed over time. The study used data from eight comparable cross-sectional school surveys of nationally representative samples of 11–15-year-olds in 1991, 1994, 1998, 2002, 2006, 2010, 2014, and 2018, which constitute the Danish arm of the international Health Behaviour in School-aged Children (HBSC) study. The participation rate was 74.6% of the eligible study population, n = 29,952. Chronic backpain was defined as self-reported backpain daily or several days a week during the last 6 months. The prevalence of chronic backpain was 11.1%, significantly increasing from 8.9% in 1991 to 11.7% in 2018. The OR for chronic backpain was 1.20 (95% CI: 1.10–1.31) in middle, and 1.56 (95% CI: 1.41–1.73) in low compared to high SES. Sensitivity analyses with two other cut-points for backpain frequency showed similar associations. Conclusion: Chronic backpain is common among adolescents and the prevalence increased from 1991 to 2018. The prevalence was highest in lower SES families. We recommend increased efforts to prevent chronic backpain. What is Known: • Chronic backpain among adolescents is common, has a high burden of disability, is associated with several health problems, and tracks into adulthood. What is New: • The prevalence of chronic backpain among adolescents in Denmark increased from 8.9% in 1991 to 11.7% in 2018. • The prevalence was highest among adolescents from lower SES families. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The aim of this study was to explore the association of moderate-to-vigorous physical activity and organized leisure-time activities with self-rated health among adolescents and whether these associations are mediated by body fat percentage. We used data on 888 adolescents (mean age 12.97, SD 1.20, 56.0% boys) from the Health Behaviour in School-aged Children (HBSC) study conducted in 2018 in Slovakia. We used logistic regression models to examine associations within self-reported data (moderate-to-vigorous physical activity and organized leisure-time activities with self-rated health) and their mediation by anthropometric data (body fat percentage). The adolescents who were sufficiently physically active and with normal body fat were more likely to report good or excellent health (odds ratios-OR/95% confidence intervals-95% CI: 3.52/1.50-8.27 and 3.66/2.37-5.68). Similarly, the adolescents who were engaged in individual/team sport and with normal body fat were more likely to report good or excellent health (OR/95% CI: 2.04/1.31-3.17 and 3.66/2.37-5.68). Adjustment for body fat percentage reduced the association between moderate-to-vigorous physical activity and self-rated health by 27.6% and the association between leisure-time activities and self-rated health by 30.7%. Active living and normal body fat might contribute to better health in adolescence. Programs and efforts to increase physical activity and leisure-time activities in childhood and adolescence need to identify which aspects of these activities are important, effective, and crucial for the population of adolescents.

Objective: The aims of the present manuscript are to analyse self-reported data on weight, including the missing data, from the 2014 Scottish Health Behaviour in School-Aged Children (HBSC) Study, and to investigate whether behavioural factors related with overweight and obesity, namely dietary habits, physical activity and sedentary behaviour, are associated with weight non-response., Research Methods & Procedures: 10839 11-, 13- and 15-year-olds participated in the cross-national 2014 Scottish HBSC Study. Weight missing data was evaluated using Little's Missing Completely at Random (MCAR) test. Afterwards, a fitted multivariate logistic regression model was used to determine all possible multivariate associations between weight response and each of the behavioural factors related with obesity., Results: 58.9% of self-reported weight was missing, not at random (MCAR p < 0.001). Weight was self-reported less frequently by girls (19.2%) than by boys (21.9%). Participants who reported low physical activity (OR 1.2, p < 0.001), low vegetable consumption (OR 1.24, p < 0.001) and high computer gaming on weekdays (OR 1.18, p = 0.003) were more likely to not report their weight., Conclusions: There are groups of young people in Scotland who are less likely to report their weight. Their weight status may be of the greatest concern because of their poorer health profile, based on key behaviours associated with their non-response. Furthermore, knowing the value of a healthy weight and reinforcing healthy lifestyle messages may help raise youth awareness of how diet, physical activity and sedentary behaviours can influence weight., (Copyright © 2018 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)