Health behaviours among school adolescents of a Public Educational Institution, Lima-Peru

The stage of adolescence is one of the most complex, therefore it involves the adolescent in multiple risks that need to be evidenced and understood for their timely intervention to avoid complications for their state of integral well-being. To determine the health behaviors of adolescents in a state educational institution in Peru. The study was developed using a quantitative, observational, and cross-sectional approach in a population of 607 adolescent schoolchildren from 3rd to 5th grade of secondary school, to whom a survey was applied through the Global School-based Student Health Survey questionnaire (GSHS). Among the relevant findings in relation to nutritional behavior, physical activity, and hygiene, it was found that adolescents consumed soft drinks one or more times a week (44.5%), performed physical activity for more than one hour daily (12.2%) and used soap to wash their hands (44.2%). Regarding sexual behavior, they began their sexual relations before the age of 14 (14.3%) and talked with their parents or guardians about HIV (58.5%). Regarding mental health, violence, tobacco, and alcohol consumption, they stated that they considered the possibility of suicide (30.6%), were assaulted one or more times in the year (31.0%), used tobacco for the first time before of 14 years (17.5%) and alcohol in the same way (28.2%). Finally, in relation to protective factors, they indicated that their parents understood their problems (36.2%) and that their peers were kind and helped (39.5%).