Journal of Child and Adolescent Behavior
Open Access

Behaviour; Nutrition; Counselling

Introduction

There is an increasing trend of risk-taking behaviour among adolescents in India, but little empirical evidence exists on its determinants [1]. The risky behaviour, including illegal drug use, gambling, tobacco and alcohol use, delinquency, inappropriate aggressiveness and violence, school failure, and unsafe sexual activity; however, many studies focus on only one type of risky behaviour. Many adolescents, however, participate in more than one type of risk behaviour, and the combined effect of participation in multiple behaviours is concerning [2]. The multiple risk behaviour and condition often exist together in the same individual, adding cumulative risk for poor health outcomes in later stages [3].

The risky behaviours among youths affect wellbeing of their life prospects. Youths do not have capacity of thinking through different problems. Factors associated with risk behaviours in adolescence health since they are significantly associated with several risk behaviours in adolescence [4]. Every day they come across different problems. But they do not have knowledge of alternative options available. Attitude of the youths towards risky behaviour is own decision-making process. Most of the time, they fail to solve different problems because they underestimate the situation. Maximum youths have problems with emotional control. Youths may overreact by allowing emotional states to resolve various uncertainties. The volatility in mood is a characteristic of youths with positive and negative swings in moods. It is an adolescent period where emotional, physical, psychological development takes place of youths. Maximum youths discount their future too much. Youth preferences are time inconsistent and not based on facts. One activity is engaged into some extent, the marginal risk from additional engagement is lower.

The risky activities are highly enjoyed by youths in region. They find out that if the risk in any activity is higher than they thought, they engage more because they have already borne the cost. That is why youths involved in driving, smoking, alcohol drinking, physical fighting, and undernutrition. Youths have high preferences for few activities than adults that create negative externalities. The sex relationship among young female is related to teenage pregnancy or AIDS. It may be because they are crazy for it or to impress peer group. Youths have day to day fluctuations in taste and preferences. Peer pressure temporarily influence their preferences for food, smoking drinking wine, physical fighting etc. The negative life events and some of personal and social competencies – cooperation and communication, empathy, self-awareness, and self-efficacy are associated to risk behaviours. Adolescents that present higher levels of negative life events or lower levels of these competences’ present higher levels of disruptive behaviour [5].

Trade-off is existing as short-term benefit and long-term cost of possibilities. For example, theft results into jail for youth. Smoking and drinking are related to future, health, and job prospects among youths. There are two types of youths in society. The sophisticated youths are fully aware of their future self-control problem, and they correctly predict how they will behave. The Navie youths are fully unaware of their future self-control problem. Driving of two and four-wheeler is an inherently risky activity. In modern times, the youths are more dependent on automobiles. For small distance, they required two and four wheelers. Maximum teens are aggressive drivers of two and four wheelers. They are less likely to use safety equipment’s such as seat belts and helmets. In accidents, youths’ error is a single vehicle crash issue. Youth do not wear seatbelts or drive after drinking wine. They are those youths who take others health at risks such as smoking cigarettes, drinking alcohol and physical fighting. Youths do not have financial resources that they can use to influence other people. Youths’ consumption always exceeds their income.

Methodology

Risky behaviours among youths in Mumbai metropolitan region

Mumbai is a financial capital of country. Families are earning high income based on education and experience. Both parents are earning high income and enjoying high standard of living in region. Youths are going to colleges, and they are out of house from morning till evening due to college, tuition, Gym, sports etc. They meet different types of friends every day. Youths drive vehicles of parents, friends, relatives etc. Few do not have learning licence. Those have two and four wheelers licence often drive fast on street. Few youths are regularly using vehicles to go to college, visit friends and relatives’ house. During driving to different places, they supposed to wear helmet for two drive and wear seatbelt for four wheelers. But they do not wear seatbelt or helmet. It may lead to accident and youth may stop learning in colleges. They need to spend time in hospital. It is very expensive affair for the family. Youths often smoke cigarettes at streets. They smoke while driving four wheelers. It may lead to health issues among youths. Youths drink alcohol and drive four wheelers. It may lead to accident and loss of life. They should not race of vehicle of highway. It may lead to accident and loss to vehicle and injury to youth. Youths have reported major accidents on highways and injury to them. The rich parents smoke in front of youths. Cigarettes are lying on the table in bedroom or hall of room. Youths take such cigarettes and smoke. They feel that parents support their smoking. The peer influence clearly plays a very significant role in adolescent smoking [6,7].

Their friends also provide them cigarettes and they smoke. Smoking every day may affect their lung. Youths have depression due to stress of study, health issue, home level issue but it does not mean that they must smoke cigarettes. Youths often say that they have depression and anxiety. It may be due to study, travel etc. Youths those fail to concentrate in study involved in number of other activities. They consume drugs, try to get it from friends at lower price. If they do not get from friends at lower price. They borrow money from friends and order drugs. If some delay is getting drugs, they fight physically with them. It becomes the matter of police. They may put them in jail and study of youths may get affect. They go to doctor and get medicines but that is not enough. They may attempt suicide. It is big hardship for family to take care of such youths. Youths have friendship with different personalities, school/college level friends, tuition, gym and other types of friends.

Most of the time friendship is related to practical things. They often fight on different issues such as betting, money lending, night parties, picnics, tourism etc. Physical fight is so severe that it may end up in police station. The youths need immediate medical help. Girls are assaulted by young people. They often carry chili powder or paper spray to fight with stranger. Police case is registered by youths in such cases. Youths do not prefer homemade food. They often have inertia to eat nutritious food. May be due to less knowledge, peer group pressure, they prefer hotel food. Families provide cash as pocket money. They buy burger, pizza, street food which is less nutritious. They often feel weak and fall sick. Doctors’ medicines and less quality food, stress of study effects on youth. They feel weak and do not study regularly. It reduces their total scores obtained and grades. Youths fail in their study. They visit doctor for weakness and other issues. Doctors provide medicines but youths do not take medicines on time.

Youths often involved in opposite sex attraction. They spend more time outside of house. Youths get involved with multiple sex partners. They do not have knowledge of condoms/pills. It may lead to pregnancy with girls. Due to access of mobile and internet, youths watch porn movies. Few youths are forced to watch such movies. Once they watch such movies, they become habitual to watch it and act accordingly. Such youths do not concentrate on study often drop out and fail to complete study. Major objective of the study is to understand risk behaviours among youths. The risky behaviours have increased over the period. The study also aims to examine the smoking cigarettes, driving vehicles and eating behaviours among youths. Youths often feel depressed and do not eat properly. It is adversely effect on their health.

Data

For this study, we collected primary data of youth’s risky behaviours and their family background in Mumbai Metropolitan Region. The primary data is collected from June to December 2023. Total 776 youths’ data is collected randomly from 18-30 age group from metropolitan region. We covered Mumbai, Mumbai suburbs, Thane and Raigad districts (Figure 1).

Figure 1: Mumbai Metropolitan region.

For data analysis, we have classified the youths from Central, Western and Eastern Suburbs, Thane city and Thane district based on responses of schedule. Youths’ family background is used for analysis of data in region. The youths asked different questions related to driving vehicles, smoking cigarettes, drinking wine, physical fight, Depression, malnutrition, and sexual relationship. We analysed the data in excel and SPSS@24 of different risky behaviours according to suburbs of region such as Central, Western and Eastern suburbs, Thane, and Thane district. We have used R software for logistic regression analysis to find different corelation with risky behaviour among youths. A logistic regression model is used to find the socio-economic and demographic reasons behind the risky behaviours among youths. Logistic model is also used to pooling of whole sample together with multiple risks among youths in region. Multiple risks among youths are further regressed on socio-economic and demographic variables.

Economic model

We have developed economic model for various risky behaviours among youths in region.

Youths are willing to add utility by consuming various items. Wellbeing of youths depends on utility, and it is related to consumption of goods and services.

Utility depends on the discount factor between two period as d1 and d2. Youth learn to take risk and reduce the cost after practice of it.

Cost of utility depends up on the discount factor for youths. Youths think and take maximum risk.

Profit earning by youth is difference between cost and return to youth. As they take more risk, cost declines and benefit increase but it increases of risk to their health.

Cost -risk ratio youth have to accept. But few youths have self-control to accept only particular risk where Self Control <0.

Risky behaviours are modelled as follows.

where Driving Licence (DL), Injured While Driving (IWD), Wear Seatbelt and Helmet (WSH), Drive on Highway (DH), Racing on Highway (RH), Major Accident (MA), Receive Call while Driving (RCD), Smoke While Driving (SWD), Alcohol and Drive (AD), Drink and Drive (DD).

Smoking is Supported by parents (PSP), Smoke Every Day (SED), Other Tobacco Products (OTP), Smoke Due to Depression (SDD).

Depression is related to Medical Help (MH), Attempted Suicide (AS), Consume Drug (CD)

Physical injury is related to Treatment due to Physical Fight (TPF), Police Case (PC), Molestation (M), Assaulted (A), Carry Paper Spray (CPS)

Malnutrition is related to Malnutrition Issue (MI), Weakness in Study (WS), Visit Doctor (VD), Home-Made Food (HMF), Junk Food (JF)

Sexual behaviour is related to Multiple Sex Partners (MSP), Used Contraceptives (UC), Unwanted Pregnancy (UP), RTI/STI Knowledge (RSK), Sex Education (SE), Forced Sex Relation (FS), Watched Porn Movies (WPM), Forced to Watch Porn Movies (FWM)

Risky behaviours among youths

Every youth in region must go to college and study well. They must eat healthy food, travel safely and live healthy and happy life. They must focus on academic achievements and develop their carrier. But youths in region are not focused on their study and they are involved in number of risky activities. We have analysed the few risky behaviours among youths in region. They are explained in more detail as follows Table 1.

Table 1: Risky behaviours among youths (Percent).

We have considered eight risky behaviours of youths in regions. The 37.26 percent youths drive 2 wheelers in which 14.24 percent are male and 54.55 percent are female. It means female are driving more of two wheelers as compared to male. It is easy to drive and make the balance. The 38.58 percent male drive 4 wheelers and 13.08 percent female drive 4 wheelers. Boys drive parents or friends, relatives four wheelers very easily. Nearly 24.70 percent male and 11.75 percent female smoke cigarettes in region. Males smoke more cigarettes due to depression and anxiety. The37.31 percent male and 22.45 percent female drink alcohol in region. Males drink alcohol due to peer pressure. They go out for parties with permission of parents where female do not get permission of parents. Nearly 64.56 percent male and 63.49 percent female are in depression due to number of reasons. Both are equally depressed in region. Total 51.51 percent male and 26.05 percent female had physical fight in past. Boys fight physically more as compared to girls. Nearly 17.82 percent male and 13.52 percent female were in relationship and sexual relationship with opposite sex in region. In region, boys and girls are friends and they move in region without any issue. Around 26.69 percent male and 24.40 per female had malnutrition issue in region. They do not eat proper food and like street and fast food in region. We must understand the risky behaviours of youths in more detail of youths in region. We have few youths’ households’ background characteristics as per different suburbs in region. They are explained as follows [8,9] (Table 2).

Table 2: Background of the students in region (Percent).

Money is required for fess payment, travel, food, assignments etc. Youths often face financial difficulties at college level. Nearly 61.43 percent male and 52.94 percent female face financial difficulties. in Eastern suburbs, 46.81 percent male and 47.17 percent female have reported the financial difficulties. Nearly half of the youths are facing financial difficulties at college education in MMR. Few parents provide regular pocket money to youths. Parents are busy in their job, business. They spend more time on different assignments where more earning could be possible. They work from morning till evening and increase standard of living in region. In Central suburbs, 83.05 percent male and 92.42 percent female said that parents spend enough time with them. But in Eastern suburb, 80.85 percent male and 84.91 percent female said that parents spent enough time with them. Nearly 85.66 percent youths in region said that the parents spend enough time with them. From Central suburbs, 81.36 percent male and 94.70 percent female said that they help parents in their work. The Thane district, 77.87 percent male and 85.81 percent female said that they help parents in their activities. Nearly 85 percent youths help parents in their work. In western suburbs, 42.86 percent male and 46.91 percent female have taken loan from bank. In Thane district, 66.39 percent male and 54.73 percent female said that their parents have taken loans. Nearly 60 percent parents in Thane district had loan from financial institutions [10] (Table 3).

Table 3: Family background characteristics (Percent).

Types of family are important for the overall development of the youths. Nuclear family in region has disadvantage for youths because parents are out for work for maximum time. Youths cannot share their thoughts with family members, and they depend on the friends. From Western suburbs, 42.65 percent male said that they are from joint family whereas 54.76 percent female said that they are from nuclear families. In the Central suburbs, 55.93 percent males are from nuclear family and 62.12 percent are from nuclear family. From eastern suburbs, 81.13 percent females are from nuclear families. In Thane city, 69.44 percent male said that they are from nuclear family. In cities, families prefer to live in nuclear family. It is simply due to real estate cost and parents are working. In joint family, costs are more. In Thane district, 72.97 percent females said that they are from nuclear family. From the above table we can say that 61.06 percent youths are staying in nuclear families and 27.43 percent youths are from joint families. Nearly 9.48 percent live self with relatives, in hotel or paying guest. Many youths from different states are taking education in Mumbai city [11].

Drive of vehicles by youths

Risky driving behaviours are common among young people, particularly among young males prone to externalising behaviours (substance abuse, crime, and affiliations with deviant peers). Risky driving is strongly linked to traffic accident risk (Fergusson, D. 2003). Youths drive two and four wheelers in region. They do not wear hell mate and wear seatbelt which is dangerous to their life. Accidents can take place due to heavy traffic on road (Table 4).

Table 4: Drive vehicles by youths in region (Percent).

In western suburbs, only 25.71 percent male and 56.10 percent female drive 2 wheelers. Nearly 38.57 percent male and 21.95 percent female drive 4 wheelers. Ten percent male and 6.10 percent female drive both type of vehicles. Youths are not professional drivers. Due to lack of knowledge of roads, traffic on roads, an accident can take place. Therefore total 25.71 percent male and 15.87 percent female drive vehicles in western suburbs. In Thane city, only 2.78 percent male and 40.74 percent female drive 2 wheelers. Nearly 30.56 percent male and 22.22 percent female drive 4 wheelers. Therefore 52.78 percent male and 22.22 percent female drive vehicles in city. Nearly 40 percent, college going youths drive vehicles. They require vehicle small distance. They do not walk and often tell that they do not have time to walk. In the region, 14.24 percent male and 54.55 percent female drive 2 wheelers in region. The 38.58 percent male and 13.08 percent female drive four wheelers in region. Nearly 8.31percent male and 4.43 percent female drive both (2 and 4 wheelers) type of vehicles in region. In the region, 38.58 percent male and 13.08 percent female drive vehicles in region. Nearly one fourth youth drive vehicles in region. They are not expert in driving. But they drive vehicle without following proper traffic rules in region [12] (Table 4 and Table 5).

Table 5: Driving of vehicles and issue with driving (Percent).

Youths learn driving of two and four vehicles of friends and relatives and then apply for learning driving license. Total 55.93 percent male and 28.79 percent female have driving licence in central suburbs. As far as Thane city is concerned, 80.56 percent male and 29.63 percent female have driving licence. Total 58.73 percent youths in Thane city have driving licence. Now each district provides the driving licence due to road transport office is in it. Nearly 60.95 percent male and 24.94 percent female have driving licence in region. Total 40.28 percent youths have licence of two to four wheelers in region. The traffic police often catch the drivers who do not have valid driving licence. They charge very heavy on vehicle and file the police case. Nearly 48.44 percent male and 24.53 percent female from Eastern suburbs said that they had accident and injured while driving. Those youths drive vehicle first time, they meet with accident due to less control over vehicle. In Central suburbs, 33.90 percent male and 9.85 percent female had injured while driving. In Central suburbs, 17.28 percent youth injured while driving from central suburbs in region. Total 40.53 percent male and 18.14 percent female said that they injured while driving. Injury among youths in region is around 28 percent while driving vehicles in region. In western suburbs 74.29 percent male and 55.56 percent female said that they wear seatbelt and wear helmet while driving vehicles. In central suburbs 69.49 percent male and 46.97 percent female wear helmet while driving vehicles. Only 54 percent youths wear helmet and seatbelt while driving vehicles in Central suburbs. Nearly 73.59 percent male and 47.01 percent female wear seatbelt and helmet while driving vehicles. The female wears less seatbelt and helmet as compared to male. Nearly 58 percent have safe behaviours as far as driving of vehicles and wear seatbelt and helmet. Male (67.80 percent) and female (34.85 percent) from central suburbs drive on highway. From Thane city, 80.56 percent male and 44.44 percent female already drive on highway. Nearly 73.37 percent male and 31.42 percent female drive vehicles on highways. Half of the youths in region drive vehicles on highways.

Around 27.14 percent male and 14.63 percent female from Western suburbs said that they had race on highways of vehicles. In eastern suburbs, 21.28 percent male said that they had race on highways. No female said that she had race of vehicles on highways. Total 26.92 percent male said that they had race of vehicles on highways. The female is 8.19 percent who said that they had race of highway of vehicles. Nearly 15 percent youths in region said that they had race of highways of vehicles. It is very dangerous activity to youths’ life. Many heavy vehicles are passing on highway and small mistake may lead to major accident on highway. Around 8.57 percent male and 8.54 percent female said that they had accident of vehicles on highways. From central suburbs 1.69 percent male and 1.52 percent female said that they had accident on highways of their vehicles. Total 5.92 percent male and 3.76 percent female had major accidents of their vehicles and they injured in it. Total 4.68 present, youth had major accident of their vehicles and they injured in it. Parents should not allow them to drive vehicle on highway. Youths should not talk on cell phone while driving the vehicle. There are clear rules of traffic police related to driving of vehicle on roads. But youths do not read such rules of RTO department and drive vehicles while taking on mobile phone [13].

Around 28.57 percent male and 10.98 percent female received call while driving in a Western suburb. In Thane district, 55.74 percent male and 16.89 percent female have received call while driving the vehicles. Total 43.92 percent male and 16.37 percent female received call while driving vehicles. Total 28.19 percent youth received call while during vehicle. In western suburbs, male (2.86 percent) and female youth said that they smoke cigarettes while driving. The male of eastern suburbs said that the smoke cigarettes while driving (8.51 percent) vehicles. The 5.03 percent male and 1.99 percent female said that they drive and smoke. From eastern suburbs, 6.38 percent male and 3.77 percent female said that they took alcohol and drive the vehicle. In Thane city, not a single male and female said that they took alcohol and drive vehicles. But 3.57 percent male and 3.10 percent female took alcohol while driving vehicle. Total 4.29 percent male and 1.23 percent female said that they drink and drive vehicles. In Thane city, not single boy and girl drink and drive vehicles. Total 2.38 percent male and 1.11 percent female said that they drink and drive vehicles.

Smoking cigarettes by youths in region

Youths smoke cigarettes due to peer pressure, depression. It effects on their lungs and respiratory system in long term. In this subset of youths, marijuana use was acknowledged by more than half of them, and smoking cigarettes was far more likely (Table 6).

Table 6: Smoke related issues (Percent).

From Thane city, 36.11 percent male and 14.81 percent, female said that they are smoking cigarettes. In the Central suburbs, 13.56 percent male and 9.09 percent female ever smoke of cigarettes. Total 24.70 percent male and 11.75 percent female smoke cigarettes continuously. They may have different reasons for smoking but smoking strictly not allowed to youths at any place and time. In region, total 17.25 percent, youths smoke cigarettes continuously. It is alarming situation for health experts and family of youth. The male (11.43 percent) and female (6.17 percent) from western suburbs said that their parents support smoking. In Thane city, male (5.56 percent) and female (3.70 percent) support smoking. Total 8.36 percent male and 5.67 percent female said that their parents support smoking. Total 6.82 percent youths smoke cigarettes because their parents support smoking. Somewhere, it needs to think again of smoking among youths supported by parents. There is need of more study on this answer. From western suburbs, 5.71 percent male and 6.17 percent female said that they smoke cigarettes every day. But from Central suburbs, only 5.08 percent male said that they smoke cigarettes. Females do not smoke cigarettes in Central suburbs and Thane city. Nearly, 6.27 percent male and 2.27 percent female smoke cigarettes every day. Total 4 percent youth smoke cigarettes every day in region. There is need to think on this issue and understand the reasons of it. Male from Western suburbs said that they do not consume Tabacco related products. Only 1.23 percent female said they consume tobacco related products. From eastern suburbs, 10.64 percent male and only 1.89 percent female consume other tobacco products. Total 5.07 percent male and 1.13 percent female consume tobacco related products in region. Total 2.83 percent youths smoke tobacco related products in region. From Eastern suburbs, 6.78 percent male and 11.32 percent female smoke due to depression. But from Western suburb males do not smoke cigarettes due to depression. Total 12.30 percent male and 4.31 percent female smoke cigarettes due to depression in region. Total 6.31 percent young people smoke cigarettes due to depression. There is a true connection between anxiety, depression, and smoking cigarettes. Smoking exists in most people suffering from stress, anxiety, and depression. People suffering from anxiety and depression have many possibilities of smoking initiation after suffering some stressful events. Moreover, smokers with depression and anxiety can easily become addicted to smoking.

Alcohol consumption by youths

Youths should not be allowed to drink alcohol. It effects on their academic performance, and they may score very low marks. But youths do not listen to their parents, teachers, and relatives. They visit to weekend parties and night parties where they come across the drinking of alcohol. From Central suburbs, 27.12 percent male and 19.70 percent female drink alcohol. From Thane city, 47.22 percent male and 37.04 percent female drink alcohol. In the region, 37.31 percent male and 22.45 percent youths drink alcohol. Nearly 79.66 percent male and 83.33 percent female did not consume alcohol in Central suburbs. In Thane city, 63.89 percent male and 66.67 percent female never consumed alcohol. Around 70 percent male and 80.50 percent female never consumed alcohol. In Eastern suburbs, 17.02 percent male and 16.98 percent female consume alcohol regularly. In Thane district, 12.30 percent male and 9.46 percent female consume alcohol regularly. Total 14.93 percent male and 11.34 percent female consume alcohol rarely. But in Thane city, 22.22 percent male and 14.81 percent female consume alcohol occasionally. The 5.08 percent male and 7.58 percent female from Central suburbs consume alcohol occasionally. We can say that 14.93 percent male and 7.94 percent female drink alcohol occasionally in region. In Thane district, 0.82 percent male and 0.68 percent female said that they consume alcohol regularly. In MMR, only 0.30 percent male and 0.23 percent female consume alcohol regularly. Total 0.26 percent youth consume alcohol regularly in region (Table 7).

Table 7: An alcohol consumption by youths in region (Percent).

Mental health and tobacco

Youths are always in pressure to study, find internship, jobs, help parents etc. Few youths do not compete with their peer group and find low interest in study. From Thane district, 20.49 percent male and 6.08 percent female said that they had mental health issues, but they consume tobacco. It is highest (12.59 percent) where youths involved in tobacco consumption. In Eastern suburb, 21.28 percent male and 9.43 percent female consume tobacco and they had mental health issue. Around 16.42 percent male and 5.22 percent female had mental health issue and they consume tobacco. In region total 10.05 percent youths consume tobacco but they have mental health issue (Table 8).

Table 8: Mental health and subsistence use (Percent).

In eastern suburbs, 10.64 percent male and 5.66 percent female had health problem due to tobacco. It is not good decision to consume tobacco or tobacco related products among youths. In Thane district, 14.74 percent male and 4.05 percent female had health problem due to alcohol consumption. In the region, 11.04 percent male and 2.95 percent female consume alcohol and they said that they have problem due to alcohol. Youths body is not suitable for alcohol consumption. They may find more health issues after consuming alcohol (Table 9).

Table 9: Mental health and issues with students (Percent).

In Thane district, 84.43 percent male and 83.78 percent female were hopeless or sad sometimes. From Western suburbs, 58.57 percent male and 85.19 percent female were feeling hopelessness or sad sometimes. Nearly 74.33 percent male and 81.63 percent female faced hopelessness or sad sometimes issues. Nearly 78.48 percent youth in city face hopelessness or sad sometimes issue. In eastern suburbs, 69.57 percent male and 63.46 percent female feel depressed. In Western suburbs, only 50 percent male and 67.90 percent female often feel depressed. Nearly 64.56 percent male and 63.49 percent female in region feel depressed often.

Nearly 21.31 percent male and 27.78 percent female in Thane district often taken medical h