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Smoking, alcohol consumption and obesity in a social network of adolescents attending school in the city of Lobos, Buenos Aires

2012; Sociedad Argentina de Pediatría; Volume: 110; Issue: 6 Linguagem: Inglês

10.5546/aap.2012.eng.473

1668-3501

Andrés Mulassi, Raúl A. Borracci, José G. E Calderón, P Vinay, Maximiliano Mulassi,

Substance Abuse Treatment and Outcomes

Introduction.The objective was to study different social networks of adolescents regarding the use of tobacco, alcohol use or obesity, in order to know to what extent friends and schoolmates influenced them in keeping or quitting these habits.Materials and Methods.Two hundred and ninety six adolescents aged 14-18 years attending an urban school in the province of Buenos Aires were surveyed and clinically studied.Information was obtained on anthropometric parameters, tobacco and alcohol use and friendship re lations were assessed so as to construct different social networks.Results: 18.8% of female adolescents and 16.5% of male adolescents were smokers; 23.3 and 39.4% drank alcohol and 15.3 and 19.0% were overweight.The networks showed that both smokers and alcohol users have close connections and a high level of centrality.The analysis showed that there is a strong affinity among people sharing the same habits.Conclusions.The study of adolescent social networks allowed to show the relation of affinity among people having the habit of smoking, alcohol use or presenting obesity.Both smokers and alcohol users are closely connected in the network, while obese adolescents seem to stay marginal.Knowledge on social networks and the possibility of working on their members could be used to disseminate healthy behaviors among adolescents.