RELIGIOUS MEMBERSHIP AND LIFESTYLE IN HIGH SCHOOL STUDENTS IN UPPER HINTERLANDS IN BAHIA STATE

Abstract

Objective: Analyzing the association between religious membership and lifestyle in high school students from the city in Guanambi, Bahia state, Brazil. Method: School-based survey, with a sample of 1,140 students enrolled in public and private schools. Data collection was performed through a questionnaire. Logistic regression was used for analysis, the variables with p<0.20, and statistical significance to p<0.05 in the final model were selected. Positive reference regarded to religion determined religious membership. Results: The prevalence of students with religious membership was 92.0%. In the entire sample, the variables with the lowest chance of showing religious membership were: male gender (OR=0.31; 95%CI: 0.22-0.54); drinking no alcohol beverages (OR=0.50; 95%CI: 0.31-0.80); inadequate consumption of vegetables (OR=0.47; 95%CI: 0.28-0.78); and self-perception of high stress level (OR=0.47; 95%CI:  0.29-0.78); It is higher among those who inappropriately consumed natural fruits/juices (OR=1.71; 95%CI: 1.08-2.68). In the male group of students, the lowest chances of presenting the outcome were among those who did not consume alcoholic beverages (OR=0.52; 95%CI: 0.29-0.94) and those with self-perception of high stress level (OR=0.43; 95%CI: 0.22-0.85). Among female students, the chances of having religious membership were higher among those with inadequate consumption of natural fruits/juices (OR=2.54; 95%CI: 1.20-5.38) and lower among those who consumed vegetables inadequately (OR=0.31; 95%CI: 0.13-0.75). Conclusion: Religious membership is associated to the lifestyle variables of high school students from the city of Guanambi, Brazil, with variation in association according to the gender.