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. 2020 Jun 26;17(12):4603.
doi: 10.3390/ijerph17124603.

Obesity in Young Adulthood: The Role of Physical Activity Level, Musculoskeletal Pain, and Psychological Distress in Adolescence (The HUNT-Study)

Maren Hjelle Guddal  1   2 , Synne Øien Stensland  1   3 , Milada Cvancarova Småstuen  4 , Marianne Bakke Johnsen  1   2 , Ingrid Heuch  5 , John-Anker Zwart  2   5 , Kjersti Storheim  1   4
Affiliations

Obesity in Young Adulthood: The Role of Physical Activity Level, Musculoskeletal Pain, and Psychological Distress in Adolescence (The HUNT-Study)

Maren Hjelle Guddal et al. Int J Environ Res Public Health. .

Abstract

The global obesity epidemic raises long-term health concerns which underline the importance of preventive efforts. We aimed to investigate individual and combined effects of common health problems in adolescence on the probability of obesity in young adulthood. This prospective population-based study included data from participants in the Nord-Trøndelag Health Study in Norway (Young-HUNT1 (1995-1997), age 13-19, baseline) who participated in HUNT3 as young adults 11 years later (age 23-31). Exposure variables at baseline included self-reported physical activity, musculoskeletal pain, and psychological distress. We examined associations between exposure variables and the main outcome of obesity in young adulthood (BMI ≥ 30 kg/m2) using univariate and multiple logistic regression, stratified by sex. Probabilities of obesity for given combinations of the exposure variables were visualized in risk matrixes. The study sample consisted of 1859 participants (43.6% boys). Higher probabilities of obesity in young adulthood were found across combinations of lower physical activity levels and presence of musculoskeletal pain in adolescence. Additional adverse effects of psychological distress were low. Proactive intervention strategies to promote physical activity and facilitate sports participation for all adolescents, whilst addressing musculoskeletal pain and its potential individual causes, could prove helpful to prevent development of obesity in young adulthood.

Keywords: adolescence; musculoskeletal pain; obesity; physical activity; prevention; young adulthood.

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Conflict of interest statement

The authors declare no conflicts of interest.

Figures

Figure A1
Figure A1
Flow Chart of the Study Sample.
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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