The Prevalence of Sedentary Habits Among International Students in Eastern Ukraine - A Cross-Sectional Study
Date
2023
Journal Title
Journal ISSN
Volume Title
Publisher
American Journal of Lifestyle Medicine
Abstract
Objectives: To determine
the occurrence of the behavioral risk
factors associated with non communicable diseases among
international undergraduate
students. Methods: A cross-sectional
study of 155 international
undergraduate students originating
from 13 different countries, was asked
to complete a 26-question survey
organized into 5 sections:
demographics, physical activity,
substance use, dietary habits, and
health assessment. The online survey
was distributed via social media
platforms such as Viber, Telegram,
WhatsApp, email, and Instagram.
Results: The majority of surveyed
students (86%) had good or excellent
capacity for everyday activities, and
62.6% utilized their electronic gadgets
for at least 8 h daily. 67.1% were
regular consumers of junk food, and
53.5% did not get medical checkups.
Students addicted to tobacco and/or
cigarettes constituted 52.6% of the
sample, 38.1% were regular alcohol
consumers, and 97.4% reported being aware of the impact of substance use
on their health. Conclusion: A
significant number of students
engage in unhealthy behaviors.
Despite this, most students reported
having good health, with only a small
percentage engaging in regular
physical activity. The prevalence of
these unhealthy behaviors highlights
Description
Research Article
Keywords
non-communicable diseases, sedentary behavior, dietary habits, physical inactivity