LONGITUDINAL TRACKING OF ADOLESCENT SMOKING, PHYSICAL-ACTIVITY, AND FOOD CHOICE BEHAVIORS

Objectives. A major assumption underlying youth health promotion has b een that physiological risk factors track from childhood into adulthoo d. However, few studies have systematically examined how behaviors cha nge during adolescence. This paper describes longitudinal tracking of adolescent health behaviors in two Minnesota Heart Health Program comm unities. Methods. Beginning in sixth grade (1983), seven annual waves of behavioral measurements were taken from both communities (baseline n = 2376). Self-reported data included smoking behavior, physical acti vity, and food preferences. Results. A progressive increase in the cha nge to weekly smoking status was observed across the smoking status ca tegories. As students began to experiment with smoking, they were more likely to either begin to be or remain regular smokers. Tracking of p hysical activity and food choice variables was also apparent. In nearl y all the follow-up periods, the students identified at baseline as me asuring high remained high, and those measuring low remained low. Conc lusions. These results indicate that there is evidence of early consol idation and tracking of physical activity, food preference, and smokin g behavior. The early consolidation of health behaviors implies that i nterventions should begin prior to sixth grade, before behavioral patt erns are resistant to change. The smoking results suggest that student s are experiencing difficulty quitting smoking; thus, youth smoking ce ssation interventions are warranted.