Healthy lifestyle practices among medical and allied health sciences students
Location
Auditorium Pond Side
Start Date
26-2-2014 10:30 AM
Abstract
Objective: This study aims to identify the healthy lifestyle practices and perceived barriers of medical and allied health sciences students of Karachi, Pakistan.
Methods: The Cross-sectional study included 330 students from 4 institutes of Karachi. Data was collected through self-reported questionnaires. Willing participants were questioned regarding thier dietary habits, physical activity, sleep, mental fitness and general health habits.
Results: 13.6% males and 86.36% females participated in this study. 60.6% had a positive family history of diabetes mellitus and 68.5% for hypertension. The most skipped meal of the day is breakfast (56.4%). 96.7% select high-caloric foods over ones good sources of vitamins, minerals or fibre. Average daily water intake is less than 1 litre in 31.5%. Only 9.7 % students have an organized physical activity 5 times a week, while 55.5% don’t have at all. Males have organized physical activity on a more regular basis. 32.7% more often feel sleepy during daytime activities. 32.1%feel mostly negative and exhausted. Exams lead to a reduction in sleep of 60% and severe to moderate stress in 70.9%, with a higher rate in females. Caffeine is consumed by 57.3% to stay awake. Reaction to current affairs of the country is mostly optimistic while 23.6% become disappointed. Smoking was negative in 94.2%. Respondents perceive barrier to healthy snacks selection as being majorly unavailability at campus (43.3%) and ignorance in this respect (25.8%), to adequate sleep as busy schedule (37.9%) and that to proper physical activity as lack of time (43.6%).
Conclusion: Addressing the positive development of young people smoothens their adoption of healthy behaviors for life. Public health initiatives and a conducive environment against barriers to a healthy lifestyle can lead to a reduction in risk factors for non-communicable diseases.
Keywords: Lifestyle, health, Young adults, dietary habits
Healthy lifestyle practices among medical and allied health sciences students
Auditorium Pond Side
Objective: This study aims to identify the healthy lifestyle practices and perceived barriers of medical and allied health sciences students of Karachi, Pakistan.
Methods: The Cross-sectional study included 330 students from 4 institutes of Karachi. Data was collected through self-reported questionnaires. Willing participants were questioned regarding thier dietary habits, physical activity, sleep, mental fitness and general health habits.
Results: 13.6% males and 86.36% females participated in this study. 60.6% had a positive family history of diabetes mellitus and 68.5% for hypertension. The most skipped meal of the day is breakfast (56.4%). 96.7% select high-caloric foods over ones good sources of vitamins, minerals or fibre. Average daily water intake is less than 1 litre in 31.5%. Only 9.7 % students have an organized physical activity 5 times a week, while 55.5% don’t have at all. Males have organized physical activity on a more regular basis. 32.7% more often feel sleepy during daytime activities. 32.1%feel mostly negative and exhausted. Exams lead to a reduction in sleep of 60% and severe to moderate stress in 70.9%, with a higher rate in females. Caffeine is consumed by 57.3% to stay awake. Reaction to current affairs of the country is mostly optimistic while 23.6% become disappointed. Smoking was negative in 94.2%. Respondents perceive barrier to healthy snacks selection as being majorly unavailability at campus (43.3%) and ignorance in this respect (25.8%), to adequate sleep as busy schedule (37.9%) and that to proper physical activity as lack of time (43.6%).
Conclusion: Addressing the positive development of young people smoothens their adoption of healthy behaviors for life. Public health initiatives and a conducive environment against barriers to a healthy lifestyle can lead to a reduction in risk factors for non-communicable diseases.
Keywords: Lifestyle, health, Young adults, dietary habits