Changes in health behavior of lithuanian adolescents and adults over 1994-2002.

The aim of the study was to investigate the time trends in health behavior during the period 1994-2002 in Lithuanian schoolchildren and adult population. The data on smoking, alcohol drinking, consumption of fresh vegetables and fruits, physical activity habits are presented in the article. The study material was collected in 1994, 1998 and 2002 within the framework of two international projects: Health Behavior in School-aged children coordinated by WHO and Finbalt Health Monitor assessing health behavior among adults in Finland and Baltic countries. The data of our study showed that since 1994 prevalence of smoking substantially increased among Lithuanian teenagers aged 11-15 years and adult women. The increase in alcohol consumption was recorded in schoolchildren as well as in adult population. The adults started eating fresh vegetables and fruits more frequently while the usage of fresh fruits among teenagers declined. In 2002 70% of schoolboys and 45% of schoolgirls were physically active. There were no changes in physical activity among teenagers over the period of the study. The proportion of physically active persons in adult population has increased since 1994. CONCLUSION: The health behavior is unhealthy in large proportion of Lithuanian teenagers and adults. The negative trends in health behavior especially among teenagers may increase the risk of noncommunicable diseases in Lithuanian population. Therefore the elaboration and implementation of effective health promotion programs, which should start in early childhood and would be adopted to the needs of different age groups, is urgently needed.