Perceived Cardiovascular Disease Risk Factors among Adolescents in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia

Objectives: The aim of this study is to assess the level of knowledge and perceivement of cardiovascular risk factors among male adolescent students and the practiced healthy lifestyle.

Methods: A cross-sectional multistage study targeted adolescent male students from public secondary schools in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. They were surveyed by using a self-administered questionnaire. The participants were categorized as knowledgeable and perceiving the cardiovascular risk factors risk or not.

Results: A significant association with four factors were likely found to act as CVD predictors among adolescents like limited knowledge on prevention (AOR = 0.519, 95% CI = 0.358-0.752); inadequate information on diseases severity (AOR = 0.444, 95% CI = 0.284-0.696); low ability to promote health (AOR = 0.447, 95% CI = 0.295-0.677); and, non-confidence in practicing a healthy lifestyle (AOR = 0.584, 95% CI = 0.407-0.839).

Conclusion: Curriculum school inclusion of positive health practice might help much in improving the perceiveness on cardiovascular disease and better awareness in the coming generation.