Risk behaviours and alcohol in adolescence are negatively associated with testicular volume: results from the Amico-Andrologo survey

Risk factors established during adolescence affect health outcomes in adulthood, although little is known about how adolescent health risk behaviours (HRBs) affect testicular development and reproductive health.

To assess prevalence of HRBs among last year high school students; to describe the most prevalent andrological disorders in this cohort; to explore HRBs associated with andrological disorders and investigate factors possibly associated with impaired testicular development in puberty.

The Amico-Andrologo Survey is a permanent nationwide surveillance programme conducted by the Italian Society of Andrology and Sexual Medicine and supported by the Ministry of Health. A nationally representative survey of final-year male high school students was conducted using a validated structured interview (n = 10124) and medical examination (n = 3816).

Smoking (32.6%), drinking (80.6%) and use of illegal drugs (46.5%) are common in adolescence. 16.6% of subjects were overweight, 3.1% were underweight and 2.3% were obese. Among sexually active students (60.3%), unprotected sex was very common (48.3%). Only 11.6% had been treated for andrological disorders, despite an abnormal clinical examination in 34.6%. Bilateral testicular hypotrophy (14.0%), varicocoele (27.1%) and phimosis (7.1%) were the most prevalent disorders; 5.1% complained of premature ejaculation and 4.7% had an STI. Underweight and heavy alcohol or drug use were associated with testicular hypotrophy. HRBs emerged as significant predictors of testicular hypotrophy, explaining up to 9.6% of its variance. Limitations include risk of selection bias for voluntary physical examination and recall bias for the self-compiled questionnaire.

There is an emerging global adverse trend of HRBs in male high school students. A significant proportion of adolescent males with unsuspected andrological disorders engage in behaviours that could impair testicular development.

Greater attention to the prevention of andrological health in adolescence is needed.