Time trends in oral health behaviors among Norwegian adolescents: 1985-97

The purpose of this study was to investigate 1) the temporal changes in ora l health behaviors and 2) the development of the distribution of oral healt h behaviors on the basis of socioeconomic factors among Norwegian adolescen ts from 1985 to 1997. Large-scale national surveys to assess smoking, intak e of sweets, soft drink consumption, and toothbrushing among Norwegian adol escents were conducted in November 1985, 1989, 1993, and 1997. The sun,cys were part of the World Health Organisation (WHO) international study, Healt h Behaviour in School-aged Children. A total of 3955 (1985), 5037 (1989), 4 952 (1993), and 5026 (1997) 11-, 13-, and 15-year-old students completed an onymous questionnaires at school. The response rates varied from 79% to 90% . The results showed a strong increase in the percentages reporting ever sm oking and daily intake of soft drinks and sweets with age from 11 to 15 yea rs in each sun ey year. In 1997, at the age of 15 years, most students repo rted toothbrushing more than once a day (94% boys, 97% girls) and ever smok ing (39% boys, 36% girls), whereas moderate proportions confirmed daily int ake of soft drinks (28% boys, 19% girls). Comparison of the results across the survey years, from 1985 to 1997, showed an overall decrease in ever smo king (boys, 59% versus 39%; girls, 52% versus 36%) and toothbrushing more t han once a day (boys, 95% versus 94%; girls, 99% versus 97%). Contemporary increases occurred with regard to daily soft drink consumption. Inequalitie s in ever smoking and daily soft drink consumption between socioeconomic st atus groups decreased and increased, respectively, from 1985 to 1997. The s ex disparities observed in 1985, with boys being more likely than girls to report ever smoking and daily soft drink consumption, leveled off in 1997.