Prevalence and Correlates of Health Risk Behaviors among University Students from a State in the Southern Region of Brazil.

BACKGROUND: Surveys conducted in different regions of the world show that the prevalence rates of health risk behaviors (HRBs) in university students are sometimes higher than those found in non-university populations. This study aims to identify the prevalence rates and demographic and academic environment correlates associated with HRBs among Brazilian university students. METHODS: In a cross-sectional epidemiological study, a random sample of 5310 university students answered an online questionnaire, with demographic (sex, age, skin color, marital status, and paid work) and academic setting information (housing type, size of campus, year, and shift of study), as well as items clustered in four HRB domains: personal safety and violence, sexual behavior and contraception, addictive substance use, eating habits, physical activity, and sleep. The data were analyzed statistically using bivariate analysis and hierarchical multiple regression. RESULTS: The highest prevalence rates occurred in HRBs clustered in the domain of eating habits, physical activity, and sleep (>60%), while HRBs for personal security and violence were less prevalent (<15%). From 15% to 35% of university students assumed HRBs regarding addictive substance use, and approximately 50% reported risky sexual behavior. The university students most susceptible to HRBs were men, aged ≥ 22 years, living far from their family, studying on larger campuses, attending night classes, and with two or more years of study at the university. CONCLUSION: The findings suggest that policies and interventions in the university context aimed at students' readiness to engage in a healthy lifestyle should target specific correlates associated with HRBs.

A single set of exhaustive exercise before local muscular endurance training improves quadriceps strength and endurance in young men.

BACKGROUND: The purpose of this study was to examine the effects of an additional set of exhaustive exercise before local muscular endurance (LME) training on maximal dynamic strength and endurance of quadriceps muscle in young men. METHODS: Twenty-seven healthy men (age: 20.9±1.8 years) performed one repetition maximum (1RM), muscular endurance, and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) tests on two separate occasions (before and after an 8-wk LME training program using a bilateral knee extensor machine). After baseline testing, the subjects were divided into three groups: untrained control (CO, N.=9), traditional training (TR, N.=9), and prior exhaustive training (PE, N.=9). Both the TR and PE groups trained using the same LME training protocol (2 d∙wk-1; 3 sets of 15-20 repetitions at 50% of 1RM) throughout the 8-wk experimental period; the only difference was that the PE group performed an additional set of exhaustive exercise at 80% of 1RM immediately before each training session. RESULTS: After 8 wk, the PE group experienced a greater (P<0.05) increase in 1RM, endurance, and work efficiency than the TR group. Additionally, no changes (P>0.05) in cross-sectional area (CSA), body mass and daily dietary intake were observed from pre- to post-test in either group. CONCLUSIONS: These results suggest that the inclusion of a single set of exhaustive exercise at 80% of 1RM immediately before LME training can be a suitable strategy for inducing additional beneficial effects on quadriceps strength and endurance in young men.