[The impact of some bad habits and environmental factors on the somatic status of male adolescents].

OBJECTIVE

The aim of the study was to investigate whether some bad habits of sedentary lifestyle influence the occurrence of diagnoses in male adolescents, divided according to their environment into urban, rural and and island groups.

METHODS

A total of 437 male adolescents underwent physical examination and functional diagnostic tests at Occupational Medicine Clinic in Rijeka, in order to evaluate their fitness for military service. The method of physical examination and anthropologic measurements was used. The results were analyzed by the Stat Soft, Statistics 6.0 software. Pearson chi-squared-test test and correlation matrices were used.

RESULTS

The results showed obesity to be present in a relatively high percentage of subjects from urban area (10.94%) and rural area (13.19%), whereas asthenia was more pronounced in islanders (8.69%), yielding a statistically significant between-group difference (p<0.05). In contrast to asthenia, the islanders had the lowest percentage of flatfoot, with a significant difference from the two other groups (p<0.05). Refraction errors, primarily myopia, were not influenced by the place of residence. The incidence of myopia in all three groups was slightly over 20%. Contrary to our expectation, bronchial asthma was most common in the islanders (5.43%), however, there data could not be considered representative because of the rather big rate of migration from the inland to prevent relapses of respiratory diseases. The incidence of mild kyphoscoliosis ranged from 5.55% in the subjectss from rural settings up to 11.95% in the islanders, without a statistically significant between-group difference.

CONCLUSIONS

It is difficult to identify the causes of differences in body weight among adolescents from urban, rural and island settings. It is not so easy to criticize the former for predominantly sedentary life, watching TV, video or Internet. Physical activity cannot be readily performed in towns because of the increasing presence of pollutants in the atmosphere. The prevalence of bronchial asthma was slightly higher than expected, which was explained by the permanent residence of atopics on the islands in order to prevent disease relapses. The lowest incidence of flatfoot among islanders was explained by their free lifestyle, barefoot walking along the rocky seaside, and high level of physical activity. Refraction errors including myopia as the leading diagnosis were equally present in the three groups, exceeding 20%. Besides heredity, the sight is influenced by intensified effects of ultraviolet radiation that causes changes of the eye structure. Also, neon signs and lights as well as too strong night streetlights lead to phototoxic vision damage in adolescents. Study results showed that male adolescents who lead physically inactive life should not to be blamed for the occurrence of the mentioned diagnoses. Like all of us they are daily affected by harmful pollutants that cause damage to the eyes, cardiovascular, respiratory and other organ systems. This study has helped identify the causes of the mentioned diseases in the group of male adolescents, emphasizing the role of occupational medicine. Specialists in occupational medicine should be involved in the monitoring of somatic and other parameters in adolescents from the early school age. In this period, it is still possible to reduce or and even prevent the occurrence of the mentioned diagnoses by examinations, education, exercises and diets. In this way, the candidates for military service would be healthier and fit.