Analysis of the Lifestyle of Spanish Undergraduate Nursing Students and Comparison with Students of Other Degrees

María Angustias Sánchez-Ojeda, Concepción Roldán, Lucía Melguizo-Rodríguez and Elvira de Luna-Bertos
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María Angustias Sánchez-Ojeda: Department of Nursing, Faculty of Health Sciences of Melilla, University of Granada, C/Santander 1, 52071 Melilla, Spain
Concepción Roldán: Department of Statistics and Operations Research, Faculty of Health Sciences of Ceuta, University of Granada, C/Cortadura del Valle Sn C.P., 51001 Ceuta, Spain
Lucía Melguizo-Rodríguez: Biomedical Group (BIO277), Department of Nursing, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Granada, Avda. Ilustración 60, 18016 Granada, Spain
Elvira de Luna-Bertos: Biomedical Group (BIO277), Department of Nursing, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Granada, Avda. Ilustración 60, 18016 Granada, Spain

IJERPH, 2022, vol. 19, issue 9, 1-12

Abstract: Background: Nursing students are exposed to concepts of healthy lifestyles while they are attending university. Objective: The aim of this study was to analyze whether nursing students have a healthier lifestyle than non-nursing students and to determine whether their behaviour is consistent with their beliefs. Methods: A cross-sectional study, with 293 university students was performed by using a validated questionnaire to measure beliefs and behaviour regarding health. Results: The lifestyle pattern of the nursing students evaluated was characterised by a high percentage of nurses with low levels of physical activity, poor balanced diet and smoking habits. The comparative analysis showed no significant differences between nursing students and students from other degrees. Conclusions: Students have a positive attitude and knowledge about healthy lifestyle, but do not transfer it to their own lives. Nurses’ lifestyle can unintentionally affect the behaviour of other people through their own behaviour and beliefs because they serve as a model for a healthy lifestyle. These findings support that nurse educators have an active role as promoter of health by using lessons to modify the behaviour of their students.

Keywords: lifestyle; university students; nursing students; health behaviour; health promotion; healthy habits (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: I I1 I3 Q Q5 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2022
References: View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (1)

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