[Lifestyle investigation and its associated factors in students of Ilam university of medical sciences]

ABSTRACT

Food habits, controlling stress, motor activity and smoking are important factors of lifestyle amongst young people and specially students. The present study aimed to determine the lifestyle situation and its correlation with some factors amongst a representative group of medical students in Ilam University of medical sciences. In a cross-sectional study using randomized allocation sampling, 400 medical students in Ilam University of Medical Sciences were recruited. The "HPLP II" questionnaire which included parameters of controlling stress, motor activity, foods and safety habits was used. Data were analyzed using Chi-square and Kendal correlation tests using SPSS software. Mean participant's age +/- standard deviation was 20.94 +/- 1.9 years and 59.2% were female. In general, poor lifestyle, controlling stress, motor activity, dietary and safety habits were estimated to be 6, 10, 36, 20.8 and 2 percent, respectively. There were significant correlation between students' lifestyle and fathers' education level but not with parents' job, mothers' education level, students' major, age, gender and nativity. Among factors constituting life style, stress control had the strongest correlation with students' lifestyle [r = 0.61, p<0/01]. Improving students' lifestyle with changes in food habits and motor activity as well as decreasing stress levels is recommended