Document Type : Original Article
Authors
Department of Community Medicine, Indira Gandhi Institute of Medical Sciences, Patna, Bihar, India
Abstract
BACKGROUND: Noncommunicable diseases (NCDs) may be influenced by lifestyle behavior,
acquired during transition in student life at university. Health is a major concern globally. The
developing counties are facing a double burden of disease, both communicable and NCD. This
study is aimed to assess the lifestyle and its associated factors that can affect the health status of
medical and nursing students.
MATERIALS AND METHODS: A community‑based cross‑sectional study was conducted among
medical and nursing students of Sasaram, Bihar, by universal sampling. The study population
consisted of 303 medical and 233 nursing students. The 536 students in the study, included 195
from rural areas and 341 from urban areas. Simple Lifestyle Indicator Questionnaire was used and
Chi‑square statistics was computed to determine the association of demographic variables with
lifestyle behavior using Epi InfoTM 7 analysis software.
RESULTS: Mean age and body mass index were 21 ± 2.59 years and 22.12 ± 3.77, respectively.
After statistical analysis utilizing the Chi‑square test, it was shown that the difference was found to
be nonsignificant (P > 0.05) in all the following variables, such as gender, age, marital status except
in designation, and alcohol and tobacco intake which showed the difference to be highly significant.
CONCLUSIONS: The maximum number of students in the study population showed intermediate
healthy lifestyle (57.1%), despite being the upcoming health‑care providers of future. Fruits were
rarely present in diet in 82%, no physical activity in 21.2%, and tobacco and alcohol were consumed
by 11.7% and 13%, respectively. Targeted intervention for healthy diet, physical activity, stress,
tobacco, and alcohol reduction can lead to healthy lifestyle. Independence and autonomy gained in
the transition phase in student life needs guided supervision to raise responsible adults. It may help
to assist or to plan accordingly in future to improve lifestyle of the students.
Keywords
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