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Aim: Health-related behaviors during adolescence lay the foundation of health status during later life. Most of the studies on health behaviors among adolescents in India have a focus on adolescent girls. India has 133 million adolescent boys; it is important to understand patterns and determinants of physical inactivity and poor dietary intake among them. Method: We analyze levels and patterns of physical activity and dietary habits using data from the 'Understanding Lives of the Adolescents and Young Adults (UDAYA)' Survey, 2016, from Bihar, one of the less developed states in India. The analysis was carried out using data collected from 2004 adolescent boys aged 14–19 years covering 33,900 households. Multivariate logistic regression analysis was used to examine the effect of predictor variables on physical activity and dietary habits. Results: Most adolescent boys (71%) engaged in physical activities during the one month before the survey. Fifteen percent did not engage in physical activity during the reference period and 13% never participated in such activities. One-fourth consumed three or more food groups and 6% did not daily consume any of the six selected food groups. Participants' age, place of residence, schooling status, and co-residence with siblings are strong predictors of physical activity. Place of residence, caste and economic status, household head's gender, schooling of household head, and number of siblings are factors identified as predictors of dietary habits. Conclusion: This study underscores the urgent need for steps to enhance participation in physical activities and to promote daily consumption of meals with adequate dietary diversity among adolescent boys. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Unhealthy behaviors including smoking, drinking, and drug use often begin during adolescence and are closely related to morbidity and mortality. This study examines the prevalence and factors associated with substance use among adolescent boys in Bihar, India. Data from the Understanding the Lives of Adolescents and Young Adults (UDAYA), conducted in 2015–16 in two Indian states, was used for analysis (n = 2004 adolescent boys aged 14–19 years). A multivariate logistic regression model was applied to estimate the effect of various correlates on substance use. Prevalence of tobacco consumption (19%) is high, followed by consumption of alcohol (8%) and drug use (1.2%) among adolescent boys in Bihar. One-fifth have ever used at least one substance. Age, education, current schooling status, wealth quintile, household head's educational attainment, and mother's education level are found to be important factors influencing substance use. It is essential to adopt more pointed programs which can effectively reduce substance use among adolescents in this and similar states. Programs related to prevention of substances should be expanded effectively through health education programs, media messages at the grassroots level, especially in the socio-economically backward states in India. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The purpose of this study is to assess the burden and correlates of morbidity and other dimensions (perceived health and physical mobility) of the health status of older adults (defined as those aged 60 and above). We used data from the National Sample Survey (NSS) 71st round for understanding the health status of older adults in India. The NSS 71st round collected data from 65,932 households (36,480 in rural and 29,452 in urban areas). The present analysis is based on data related to 27,245 persons aged 60 and above living in the sample households. Overall, 30% of those aged 60 and above reported that they have morbidity, either chronic or acute. More than one-fifth (22%) rated their health status as poor while 8% are physically immobile. Forty-three percent of older adults have overall poor health status. Multivariate analysis reveals that age, religion, expenditure quintile are significantly associated with poor overall health of the older adults. Given the high proportion of poor overall health status among older adults and their increasing population size, this study indicates the need to strengthen healthcare services as well as the economic and social security programs directed at the welfare of older adults in the country. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]