Health-Promoting Behavior and Lifestyle Characteristics of Students as a Function of Sex and Academic Level

Carsten Müller, Kareem El-Ansari and Walid El Ansari
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Carsten Müller: Department of Applied Health Sciences, Hochschule für Gesundheit, 44801 Bochum, Germany
Kareem El-Ansari: Faculty of Medicine, Ain Shams University, Cairo 11591, Egypt
Walid El Ansari: Department of Surgery, Hamad General Hospital, Hamad Medical Corporation, Doha 3050, Qatar

IJERPH, 2022, vol. 19, issue 12, 1-18

Abstract: University students frequently engage in unhealthy behaviors. However, there is a lack of studies examining a wide range of their lifestyle characteristics by sex and academic level of study. This cross-sectional survey of students enrolled in BSc, MSc, or PhD programs at one university in Germany ( N = 3389) assessed physical activity (PA), sedentary behavior (SB), nutrition, sleep quality, and alcohol, tobacco, and other drug (ATOD) use by sex and academic level and was conducted with EvaSys version 8.0. Chi-squared tests compared categorical variables by sex, and binary logistic regression analyses adjusted for sex with Bonferroni adjustments evaluated differences across academic level. Although 91% of students achieved the aerobic PA guidelines, only 30% achieved the muscle strengthening exercises (MSE) guidelines, and 44% had high SB. Likewise, <10% met the fruit and vegetable consumption (FVC) recommendations, >40% of students experienced impaired sleep, and >30% had hazardous alcohol consumption. Less than 20% of the sample achieved the guideline/recommendation of all three PA, MSE and SB. Some behaviors exhibited significant sex and academic level differences. The identified at-risk groups included males (lower FVC), females (eating more during stress), and BSc students (poorer nutrition/sleep quality, more ATOD use). Given the above findings, multipronged strategies are needed with an overarching focus highlighting the health–academic achievement links. Behavioral interventions and environmental policies are required to raise awareness and promote student health.

Keywords: college students; gender; sedentary behavior; resistance training; healthy diet; sleep quality; smoking; neuroenhancement; tobacco; alcohol (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: I I1 I3 Q Q5 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2022
References: View references in EconPapers View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (1)

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