{"status":"ok","message-type":"work","message-version":"1.0.0","message":{"indexed":{"date-parts":[[2025,10,10]],"date-time":"2025-10-10T01:32:44Z","timestamp":1760059964718,"version":"build-2065373602"},"reference-count":57,"publisher":"MDPI AG","issue":"8","license":[{"start":{"date-parts":[[2025,7,25]],"date-time":"2025-07-25T00:00:00Z","timestamp":1753401600000},"content-version":"vor","delay-in-days":0,"URL":"https:\/\/creativecommons.org\/licenses\/by\/4.0\/"}],"funder":[{"name":"University of P\u00e9cs, Faculty of Health Sciences, Institute of Basics of Health Sciences, Midwifery and Health Visiting"}],"content-domain":{"domain":[],"crossmark-restriction":false},"short-container-title":["Children"],"abstract":"<jats:p>Background\/Objectives: Health literacy plays a fundamental role in adolescents\u2019 health-related decisions and behaviors. The aim of our study was to assess the level of health literacy among 16\u201317-year-old students in Southern Hungary and to examine the associations between sociodemographic characteristics and health behaviors. Methods: This cross-sectional quantitative study was conducted in the autumn of 2024 in Baranya and Somogy counties. A total of 133 students completed a self-administered questionnaire including sociodemographic variables and health behaviors. Health literacy was measured using the validated HELMA-H instrument. Statistical analysis included chi-square tests, t-tests, and ANOVA (p &lt; 0.05). Results: Overall, 62.7% of the students demonstrated adequate, while 37.3% demonstrated inadequate levels of health literacy. No significant association was found between overall health literacy and sociodemographic variables; however, partial associations were observed on specific subscales. Boys reported better access to health information (p = 0.037), while children of mothers with higher educational attainment scored better in comprehension (p = 0.042) and appraisal (p = 0.036). In the case of the numeracy subscale, children of mothers with the lowest educational level showed significantly better results (p = 0.006). Students with higher health literacy levels were less likely to smoke or consume caffeine; however, a reverse trend was observed regarding alcohol consumption. Physical activity showed a positive association with healthier behaviors (p &lt; 0.05). Discussion: The use of digital technologies, interactive learning strategies, and the involvement of family members\u2014especially mothers\u2014may support the development of health-conscious decision-making in adolescents. Consequently, health education programs should focus not only on knowledge transfer but also on fostering critical thinking and decision-making skills.<\/jats:p>","DOI":"10.3390\/children12080978","type":"journal-article","created":{"date-parts":[[2025,7,25]],"date-time":"2025-07-25T12:56:43Z","timestamp":1753448203000},"page":"978","update-policy":"https:\/\/doi.org\/10.3390\/mdpi_crossmark_policy","source":"Crossref","is-referenced-by-count":0,"title":["Literacy or Useless Knowledge? Associations Between Health Literacy and Lifestyle Among Adolescents"],"prefix":"10.3390","volume":"12","author":[{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0002-1990-5905","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Bernadett","family":"Varga","sequence":"first","affiliation":[{"name":"Faculty of Health Sciences, Institute of Basics of Health Sciences, Midwifery and Health Visiting, University of P\u00e9cs, H-7621 P\u00e9cs, Hungary"}],"role":[{"role":"author","vocabulary":"crossref"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0009-0004-0473-1289","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"G\u00e1bor P\u00e1l","family":"Strom\u00e1jer","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Faculty of Health Sciences, Institute of Basics of Health Sciences, Midwifery and Health Visiting, University of P\u00e9cs, H-7621 P\u00e9cs, Hungary"},{"name":"Institute of Education, Hungarian University of Agriculture and Life Sciences, H-7400 Kaposv\u00e1r, Hungary"}],"role":[{"role":"author","vocabulary":"crossref"}]},{"given":"D\u00f3ra","family":"Heizler","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Faculty of Health Sciences, Institute of Basics of Health Sciences, Midwifery and Health Visiting, University of P\u00e9cs, H-7621 P\u00e9cs, Hungary"}],"role":[{"role":"author","vocabulary":"crossref"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0001-8361-6385","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Melinda","family":"Csima","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Institute of Education, Hungarian University of Agriculture and Life Sciences, H-7400 Kaposv\u00e1r, Hungary"}],"role":[{"role":"author","vocabulary":"crossref"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0009-0005-3860-1420","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"T\u00edmea","family":"Strom\u00e1jer-R\u00e1cz","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Institute of Diagnostic, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of P\u00e9cs, H-7621 P\u00e9cs, Hungary"}],"role":[{"role":"author","vocabulary":"crossref"}]}],"member":"1968","published-online":{"date-parts":[[2025,7,25]]},"reference":[{"key":"ref_1","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","unstructured":"(2025, June 10). 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