Tomorrow’s Doctors, Today’s Risks: A Comprehensive Assessment of Diet, Physical Activity, Stress and Lifestyle Factors among Medical Students in Himachal Pradesh

Background: Medical students often face high academic stress, irregular schedules and lifestyle disruptions that predispose them to unhealthy behaviors. These include poor dietary patterns, inadequate physical activity, sleep deprivation and increased screen time, which can contribute to long-term non-communicable diseases (NCDs). Despite their importance as the future healthcare workforce, limited evidence exists on the comprehensive health and lifestyle profile of medical students in Himachal Pradesh, India. Materials and Methods: A descriptive cross-sectional online survey was conducted in 2024 among MBBS students from all six government medical colleges in Himachal Pradesh. Data were collected through a structured, pre-tested Google Form disseminated via social media platforms. The questionnaire assessed sociodemographic profile, dietary habits, physical activity, lifestyle behaviors, health status, family history, mental health, academic and social patterns and clustering of risk factors. Descriptive statistics were applied and results were expressed as frequencies and percentages. Results: Of the 999 students, 44.1% were aged 19-20 years and 56.7% were female. Normal BMI was observed in 73.4%, while 11.2% were overweight and 1.1% obese. Non-vegetarian or mixed diet was reported by 57.7%, with frequent junk food intake in 33.1%. Regular exercise was practiced by 61.3%, though 29.6% exercised rarely or never. Smoking and alcohol use at admission were 6.7% and 7.8%, respectively but increased to 11.3% and 19.7% currently. Sleep deprivation (<6 hours) was noted in 18.2%, while 53.8% reported screen/mobile use exceeding 5 hours daily. Self-reported stress was prevalent (33.3% moderate, 14.9% severe) and 34.4% reported fair or poor sleep quality. Academic burnout was identified in 34.4% of students. Importantly, clustering of multiple lifestyle risks was observed, with 19.4% reporting three and 11.3% reporting four or more risk factors. Conclusion: This study highlights concerning levels of unhealthy dietary habits, sedentary lifestyle, substance use, high stress and risk factor clustering among medical students in Himachal Pradesh. The findings underscore the urgent need for structured wellness programs, mental health support and lifestyle interventions within medical institutions to promote long-term health and professional sustainability of future doctors.