Aim/Purpose This study explored the associations among stress, eating attitudes, self-esteem, physical activity, and wearable device engagement (use experience and usage period), alongside related health app use and health-tracking practices, among female university students in Kuwait. Background The proliferation of wearable health-monitoring technologies has reshaped personal healthcare and self-management among young adults. However, adoption and sustained use among female university students may be influenced by intersecting psychological and behavioural factors, including stress, self-esteem, physical activity, and eating attitudes, particularly in academic settings where stress and irregular health habits are common. Methodology The study utilised validated instruments: the Perceived Stress Scale, Eating Attitudes Test (EAT-26), Rosenberg Self-Esteem Scale, and the International Physical Activity Questionnaire. To achieve the study’s objectives, 325 female students were surveyed quantitatively. Descriptive statistics, correlation analysis, and linear regression were performed using SPSS. Contribution The study contributes to the extant literature on health informatics and behavioural psychology by providing a comprehensive understanding of how monitoring devices supporting self-care and health behavior management, and their sustained use among female university students, remain uneven and are shaped by the matter of health wearable devices in Kuwait. The study supports a shift toward holistic approaches to student well-being in higher education and public health. Findings The results revealed a positive self-rated health and moderate physical activity, alongside prominent academic-related stress and notable weight- and shape-related concerns. Stress and eating attitudes were strongly and reciprocally associated, while self-esteem showed a protective association with eating attitudes. Physical activity duration, but not intensity, was positively associated with self-esteem. Wearable device use experience was associated with higher physical activity intensity, whereas longer usage period was positively associated with self-esteem and eating attitudes, suggesting mixed effects of sustained self-tracking. Non-use was primarily attributed to lack of perceived need and cost, while many non-users expressed openness to future adoption. Future Research Future research should explore longitudinal or prospective designs to clarify temporal ordering and potential reciprocal effects, particularly between stress and eating attitudes. To better identify leverage points for targeted interventions, future work should test more comprehensive explanatory models that incorporate contextual and psychosocial variables (e.g., academic stress exposure, coping style, body image, and social support). To enhance the generalizability of the findings, a larger-scale survey across a broader geographical range would be beneficial.
Sumayya Banna (Thu,) studied this question.