High Risk Health Behavior among Malaysian Adolescents: A Comparison between Gender

PURPOSE: The main objective was to study health risk behaviours, knowledge and perception amongst Malaysian adolescents aged between 13-17 years of age.

METHODS: Modified version of Youth Behaviour Risk Factor Surveillance System (YBRFSS) was used in this nationwide cross-sectional study involving 5,000 students enrolled from 50 selected schools, by adopting multi-stage sampling with randomization of schools and classes from all states in Malaysia. Descriptive data for behaviours, knowledge and perception were also compared between genders.

RESULTS: Overall, 72.6% and 21.1% adolescents were found to not perform adequate exercise or did not perform any exercise, respectively. Majority of them also (81.8%) spent time watching TV beyond one hour per day. Although overall compliance to meal timings showed better result for girls (89.2%) than boys (84.8%); non-compliance to breakfast timing was the most frequent (74.7%) compared to other meal timings. Signs of continuous sadness ranked highest (21.3%), followed by signs of depression (9.4%) and suicidal ideation (7.8%). Girls suffered worse than boys for signs of continuous sadness (25.4% vs. 16.2%) and suicidal ideation (10.4% vs. 4.5%). In terms of perception, only 50.1% responded favourably to managing their anger. Boys were more satisfied with their own body weight and body shapes compared with the girls (43.3% vs. 34.7%; 45.3% vs. 37.9%, respectively).

CONCLUSION: Although adolescents in Malaysia had good overall knowledge and perception on the healthy habits, they still practiced risky behaviours which may lead to early morbidity and mortality among adolescence.