Gender Differences of Health Behaviors in the Risk of Metabolic Syndrome for Middle-Aged Adults: A National Cross-Sectional Study in South Korea.

This study examined gender differences in health behaviors for the risk of metabolic syndrome (MetS) among middle-aged adults using nationally representative data from the Seventh Korea National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (2016-2018). The sample included data from 8677 middle-aged adults. The Health Practice Index measured health behaviors, including smoking, alcohol use, physical activity, sleeping, eating breakfast, working hours, nutritionally balanced diet, and mental stress. Complex sample multiple logistic regression analyses were conducted to determine the association between the Health Practice Index (HPI) and MetS. Men and women with poor or moderate HPI scores had significantly higher risks of having MetS than those with good HPI scores. Controlling for covariates, high-risk alcohol use (p < 0.001) and physical activity (p = 0.008) were associated with the risk of MetS in men and women, respectively. Men reporting alcohol use and women lacking a healthy diet were, respectively, 2.056 times (adjusted odds ratio (OR) = 2.056, 95% CI: 1.681-2.514) and 1.306 times (adjusted OR = 1.306, 95% CI: 1.075-1.587) more likely to have increased risks of MetS. Given these gender differences in health behaviors, developing tailored interventions could be beneficial in preventing MetS among middle-aged men and women.

The Impact of Lifestyles on Dental Caries of Adult Patients in Udupi District: A Cross-Sectional Study.

BACKGROUND: Dental caries is preventable if favorable health behavior is successfully established. Exploring the broader concept of lifestyle will be useful to determine that how lifestyle of people can affect dental caries. AIM: The aim of this study was to determine the impact of overall lifestyle of an individual (analyzed using health practice index) on dental caries of adult population. MATERIAL AND METHODS: This cross-sectional study comprising structured questions on health practice index, sociodemographic variables, and oral health-related behavior was conducted on 800 study subjects of age 20-50 years attending outreach dental setups of a dental school in India. Dental caries was recorded with decayed, missing, and filled teeth (DMFT) index.Statistical analysis was carried out using frequency distribution for variables related to lifestyle, mean ± standard deviation for DMFT, and negative binomial regression to predict a dependent variable (DMFT) that consisted of "count data." RESULTS: The study subjects who were older age, women, unemployed, and unskilled; those with lower education, lesser income, and lower socioeconomic status; those never visited dentist; and those with lesser frequency of cleaning teeth, overall poorer lifestyles, and moderate lifestyles were more prone to have dental caries than their counterparts. CONCLUSION: Dental caries is a multifactorial disease. Patients' involvement in self-care by promoting healthy behaviors such as brushing twice a day, visiting dentist regularly, negating orally abusive substance addiction, having breakfast every day, eating a balanced diet, and reducing stress leads to an overall good lifestyle. These factors along with sleeping a minimum of 7-8h per night and working for 8-9h per day and ample daily exercise may help patients improve or protect their oral health for years to come.

The impact of lifestyles on the periodontal health of adults in Udupi district: A cross sectional study.

OBJECTIVES: (1) To assess the impact of different lifestyle factors on periodontal health of adults. (2) To assess the impact of overall/combined lifestyle variable (calculated by health practice index [HPI]) on periodontal health of adults. MATERIALS AND METHODS: A cross-sectional study consisting of a structured questionnaire on HPI, oral health-related behavior, and personal habits as well as sociodemographic variables was conducted on 800 subjects aged 20-50 years attending dental outreach set-ups of Manipal College of Dental Sciences, Manipal. Clinical examination for periodontal status was done by recording loss of attachment scores using community periodontal index (FDI/WHO-1982). Statistical analysis was done by bivariate analysis using Chi-square followed by multivariate analysis to obtain adjusted odds ratio with 95% confidence interval. RESULTS: After adjusting for all the confounding variables in multivariate logistic regression analysis, the variables that showed an independent association with periodontitis were age, location, marital status, smoking, hours of sleep per night, physical activity, and overall poor lifestyles. CONCLUSION: Our results support studying a combined approach using various lifestyle behaviors for controlling chronic periodontitis. Necessary public health action on conditions which determine unhealthy lifestyle behaviors across population is needed which is possible by patient's involvement in self-care by promoting healthy lifestyles.

Lifestyles and psychosomatic symptoms among elementary school students and junior high school students.

OBJECTIVES: To examine the relationship between lifestyles and psychosomatic symptoms in children, we conducted a self-administered questionnaire survey of elementary school students and junior high school students in Japan. METHODS: We designed an original questionnaire to investigate the lifestyles and psychosomatic symptoms of children. In 1997, responses to the questionnaires were elicited from public elementary school fourth grade students (then aged 9-10) and public junior high school seventh grade students (then aged 12-13). The survey was repeated annually for three years as the students advanced through school. RESULTS: For both boys and girls, each cross-sectional analysis revealed a strong relationship between lifestyle behaviors and psychosomatic symptoms. Psychosomatic, symptoms scores varied according to daily hours of sleep, eating of breakfast, having strong likes and dislikes of food, bowel habits, and daily hours of television watching. Both boys and girls with "good" lifestyle, behaviors evaluated by the HPI (Health Practice Index) showed lower scores for psychosomatic symptoms. CONCLUSIONS: These findings show that the lifestyle behaviors of children are significantly associated with psychosomatic symptoms and suggest that poor lifestyle behaviors are likely to increase physical and psychological health risks.

Lifestyles and Psychosomatic Symptoms among Elementary School Students and Junior High School Students

Objectives: To examine the relationship between lifestyles and psychosomatic symptoms in children, we conducted a self-administered questionnaire survey of elementary school students and junior high school students in Japan. Methods: We designed an original questionnaire to investigate the lifestyles and psychosomatic symptoms of children. In 1997, responses to the questionnaires were elicited from public elementary school fourth grade students (then aged 9–10) and public junior high school seventh grade students (then aged 12–13). The survey was repeated annually for three years as the students advanced through school. Results: For both boys and girls, each cross-sectional analysis revealed a strong relationship between lifestyle behaviors and psychosomatic symptoms. Psychosomatic symptoms scores varied according to daily hours of sleep, eating of breakfast, having strong likes and dislikes of food, bowel habits, and daily hours of television watching. Both boys and girls with “good” lifestyle behaviors evaluated by the HPI (Health Practice Index) showed lower scores for psychosomatic symptoms. Conclusions: These findings show that the lifestyle behaviors of children are significantly associated with psychosomatic symptoms and suggest that poor lifestyle behaviors are likely to increase physical and psychological health risks.

Lifestyles and psychosomatic symptoms among elementary school students and junior high school students

<p><b>OBJECTIVES</b>To examine the relationship between lifestyles and psychosomatic symptoms in children, we conducted a self-administered questionnaire survey of elementary school students and junior high school students in Japan.</p><p><b>METHODS</b>We designed an original questionnaire to investigate the lifestyles and psychosomatic symptoms of children. In 1997, responses to the questionnaires were elicited from public elementary school fourth grade students (then aged 9-10) and public junior high school seventh grade students (then aged 12-13). The survey was repeated annually for three years as the students advanced through school.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>For both boys and girls, each cross-sectional analysis revealed a strong relationship between lifestyle behaviors and psychosomatic symptoms. Psychosomatic, symptoms scores varied according to daily hours of sleep, eating of breakfast, having strong likes and dislikes of food, bowel habits, and daily hours of television watching. Both boys and girls with "good" lifestyle, behaviors evaluated by the HPI (Health Practice Index) showed lower scores for psychosomatic symptoms.</p><p><b>CONCLUSIONS</b>These findings show that the lifestyle behaviors of children are significantly associated with psychosomatic symptoms and suggest that poor lifestyle behaviors are likely to increase physical and psychological health risks.</p>