Ideal cardiovascular health behaviours in nationally representative school-based samples of adolescents in the caribbean

Abstract

Background: Ideal cardiovascular health behaviour (CVHB) measures four ideal health behaviours (non-smoking, body mass index <85th Percentile, healthy diet, and physical activity). This study aimed to determine the prevalence, distribution, and correlates of ideal CVHB among adolescents in the Caribbean. Methods: Nationally representative cross-sectional data of 2016 or 2017 with complete CVHB measurements were analysed from 7556 school adolescents from four Caribbean countries. Results: The prevalence of 0–1 ideal metrics CVHB was 20.4%, 2 ideal metrics 48.7%, and 3–4 ideal metrics 30.8%. Only 5.0% had all 4 ideal CVHB metrics, 41.0% intermediate CVH (≥1 metric in the intermediate category and none in the poor category), and 54.0% had poor CVH (≥1 metric in poor category). In adjusted logistic regression analysis, compared to students from Dominican Republic, students from Jamaica (Adjusted Odds Ratio-AOR: 1.36, 95% confidence interval-CI: 1.01–1.85), students from Trinidad and Tobago (AOR: 1.46, 95% CI: 1.17–1.82) and male sex (AOR: 1.35, 95% CI: 1.11–1.64) were positively associated with meeting 3–4 ideal CVHB metrics. In addition, in unadjusted analysis, rarely or sometimes experiencing hunger was negatively and high peer and parent support were positively associated with meeting 3–4 ideal CVHB metrics. Conclusion: The proportion of meeting 3–4 ideal CVHB metrics was low among adolescents in four Caribbean countries. Both high-risk and school-wide intervention programmes should be implemented in aiding to improve CVHB in Caribbean countries. Several factors associated with ideal CVHB were identified, which can be targeted in school health interventions.