Self-assessed health associated with lifestyles in young adults: National survey - Young Lives - Perú

Introduction: Self-perception of health serves as an important marker for both morbidity and mortality, and it is subject to various influences, including cultural, psychological, and social factors. In their daily lives, young individuals are constantly exposed to opportunities for altering their lifestyles either positively or negatively. Therefore, the primary aim of this study is to examine the association between lifestyles and self-assessment of health among Peruvian adults aged 18 to 23 years. Methods: A cross-sectional analytical study was conducted utilizing a secondary database, specifically the "Young Lives" Round 5 dataset for Peru. Our sample consisted of 595 young adults aged between 18 and 23 years. To assess their lifestyles, we utilized indicators such as physical activity, hours of sleep, alcohol consumption, and tobacco consumption. These lifestyle factors were then associated with the variable of "self-assessed health". Additionally, we analyzed other variables, including the sociodemographic characteristics of the evaluated population. Results: We found that 24.37% of the sample rated their health as good. Several factors were identified as being associated with a positive self-assessment of health. These factors included being male (odds ratio [OR] = 2.00, 95% confidence interval [CI]: 1.35-2.94), engaging in regular physical activity (OR = 1.50, 95% CI: 1.02-2.23), sleeping for 7 to 8 hours (OR = 1.69, 95% CI: 1.01-2.81), and occasionally smoking (OR = 2.02, 95% CI: 1.002-4.11). Conclusions: Engaging in physical activity, getting 7 to 8 hours of sleep, and occasional smoking have been found to be associated with a positive self-assessment of health.