Health-related lifestyle in adolescence - origin of social class differences in health?

Survey data collected by mail, representing Finnish 16 year olds (N = 2977; response rate 83%), were used to identify which particular aspects of life style are typical of adolescents who select various educational tracks and, thus, have different probabilities of ending up in low or high social posi tions, The dependent variable, educational track, was formed by classifying the respondents into five successive categories predicting their social po sition in adulthood, Lifestyle is measured by health behaviours, leisure-ti me activities and social relations. The probability of belonging to educati onal tracks with good social prospects in adulthood was high among adolesce nts who placed much emphasis on health-enhancing behaviours (not smoking, p hysical exercise, low milk-fat diet, dental hygiene, use of seatbelts, etc. ), who did not spend much time watching TV or listening to music and who at tended church or other religious meetings weekly. Health-related lifestyle, at the age of 16, is oriented towards the social group the individual is l ikely to belong to as an adult. The study provides evidence for a strong as sociation between health-related lifestyle and educational track in adolesc ence.