Components of a healthy lifestyle among tertiary students in Kemerovo

Highlights . The results of an online survey of Kemerovo students regarding nutrition, physical activity, smoking, drinking alcohol, and maintaining a healthy lifestyle are presented. University students do not always follow the principles of healthy living due to poor nutrition, low physical activity and high consumption of tobacco and alcohol products. Aim . To evaluate dietary habits and modifiable cardiovascular risk factors in tertiary students in Kemerovo. Methods . The pilot study included 136 university students (aged 20-21 years) residing in Kemerovo who filled out online questionnaires. The questionnaires were comprised of questions about the preferred diet, lifestyle, level of physical activity, the presence of behavioral risk factors for non-communicable diseases (smoking, drinking alcohol). Additionally, the respondents` subjective opinion about their own healthy lifestyle (HLS) was evaluated. Results . The obtained data demonstrates a high prevalence of meat and sausage consumption (60%) and a low frequency of vegetables and fruits consumption (26%) among tertiary students. Simultaneously, most of the respondents have restricted the intake of savory snacks and consumption of sweet carbonated drinks. Almost a third of students skip breakfast and regularly visit fast food restaurants. Most of the respondents do not consider replacing red meat with fish or poultry, or using more low-fat dairy products and fruits instead of confectionery in their diet. A third of young people (33%) aged 20-21 have smoked or are currently smoking cigarettes, and more than half (63%) have consumed or regularly consume alcohol. Moreover, a very low percentage of students (7%) devote their time to regular physical activity. The analysis of the respondents` subjective opinion of their lifestyle has revealed that most students do not fully comprehend the concepts of “healthy lifestyle” and “healthy diet”, because their answers did not meet the criteria of healthy lifestyle. Only 57.7% of respondents who believe their lifestyle to be healthy are actually correct. Conclusion . Tertiary students in Kemerovo do not always follow the rules of healthy lifestyle. It has been illustrated by their poor nutrition, low physical activity and frequent alcohol and tobacco use. Students associate healthy diet exclusively with not consuming sugary drinks, savory snacks, fast food, and having proper breakfast, which could be caused by the lack of general knowledge about a proper balanced diet.