Dietary and Physical Activity Behaviors Among High School Students - Youth Risk Behavior Survey, United States, 2019

Abstract

Establishing healthy dietary and physical activity patterns among youths is an important public health strategy for improving health and preventing chronic diseases; however, few adolescents meet U.S. government recommendations for dietary or physical activity behaviors, and disparities by sex and race/ethnicity exist. CDC analyzed data from the 2019 Youth Risk Behavior Survey to update estimates of dietary and physical activity behaviors among U.S. high school students overall and by sex and race/ethnicity. In addition, 2-year comparisons (2017 and 2019) and trends in prevalence of these behaviors during 2009-2019 were examined. In 2019, overall, during the 7 days before the survey, 41.8% of students had eaten fruit or drunk 100% fruit juices <1 time/day; 40.7% had eaten vegetables <1 time/day; and 16.7% had not eaten breakfast on all 7 days. Moreover, although 57.4% of students had played on ≥1 sports team during the 12 months before the survey, less than half of students had been physically active for ≥60 minutes/day on all 7 days (23.2%), had exercised to strengthen or tone their muscles on ≥3 days/week (49.5%), had met both aerobic and muscle-strengthening physical activity guidelines (16.5%), or had attended physical education classes on all 5 days in an average school week (25.9%). Trend data indicate limited progress in shifting dietary and physical activity behaviors. That is, with the exception of decreases in the percentage of students who had consumed soda ≥1 time/day (2009: 29.2%; 2019: 15.1%), sports drinks ≥1 time/day (2015: 13.8%; 2019: 10.6%), and <3 glasses/day of plain water (2015: 50.5%; 2019: 44.6%), high school students' dietary and physical activity behaviors have not improved and, in certain cases, have worsened. These findings support the need for multicomponent approaches, including policy and environmental changes, and opportunities for adolescents to learn about and practice making healthy choices.

Conflict of interest statement

All authors have completed and submitted the International Committee of Medical Journal Editors form for disclosure of potential conflicts of interest. No potential conflicts of interest were disclosed.

Figures

FIGURE 1

Percentage of high school students who had drunk sugar-sweetened soda or pop ≥1 time per day during the 7 days before the survey, overall and by sex and race/ethnicity* — Youth Risk Behavior Survey, United States, 2009–2019 * During 2009–2019, a significant linear decrease was observed in the percentage of students who had drunk sugar-sweetened soda or pop ≥1 time/day overall and among female, male, white, black, and Hispanic students. Based on trend analyses by using a logistic regression model controlling for sex, race/ethnicity, and grade (p

FIGURE 2

Percentage of high school students who had drunk a sports drink ≥1 time per day during the 7 days before the survey, overall and by sex and race/ethnicity* — Youth Risk Behavior Survey, United States, 2015–2019 * During 2015–2019, a significant linear decrease was observed in the percentage of students who had drunk a sports drink ≥1 time/day overall and among male, white, and Hispanic students. Based on trend analyses by using a logistic regression model controlling for sex, race/ethnicity, and grade (p

FIGURE 3

Percentage* of high school students who had engaged in physical activity† and physical education during the 7 days before the survey, overall and by sex§ — Youth Risk Behavior Survey, United States, 2019 * Bars represent the percentage of respondents with a “yes” response, overall and by sex. † The “met both aerobic and muscle-strengthening physical activity guidelines” variable is defined as being physically active for a total of ≥60 minutes/day on all 7 days and doing exercises to strengthen or tone muscles on ≥3 days during the 7 days before the survey (Source: U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. Physical activity guidelines for Americans. 2nd ed. Washington, DC: US Department of Health and Human Services; 2018. https://www.hhs.gov/fitness/be-active/physical-activity-guidelines-for-americans/index.html). § In 2019, a significantly higher percentage of male than female students had been physically active for ≥60 minutes/day on all 7 days during the 7 days before the survey, had exercised to strengthen or tone muscles on ≥3 days during the 7 days before the survey, had met the aerobic and muscle-strengthening physical activity guidelines during the 7 days before the survey, had attended physical education classes on all 5 days in an average school week when the student was in school, and had played on ≥1 sports team during the past 12 months. Based on t-test analysis (p<0.05).