Impact of academic exposure on health status of university students

Abstract

OBJECTIVE:To assess the impact of academic life on health status of university students. METHODS:Longitudinal study including 154 undergraduate students from the Universidade de Aveiro, Portugal, with at least two years of follow-up observations. Sociodemographic and behavioral characteristics were collected using questionnaires. Students' weight, height, blood pressure, serum glucose, serum lipids and serum homocysteine levels were measured. Regression analysis was performed using linear mixed-effect models, allowing for random effects at the participant level. RESULTS:A higher rate of dyslipidemia (44.0% vs. 28.6%), overweight (16.3% vs. 12.5%) and smoking (19.3% vs. 0.0%) was found among students exposed to the academic life when compared to freshmen. Physical inactivity was about 80%. Total cholesterol, high density lipoprotein-cholesterol (HDL-C), triglycerides, systolic blood pressure, and physical activity levels were signifi cantly associated with gender (p<0.001). Academic exposure was associated with increased low density lipoprotein-cholesterol (LDL-C) levels (about 1.12 times), and marginally with total cholesterol levels (p=0.041). CONCLUSIONS:High education level does not seem to have a protective effect favoring a healthier lifestyle and being enrolled in health-related areas does not seem either to positively affect students' behaviors. Increased risk factors for non-transmissible diseases in university students raise concerns about their well-being. These results should support the implementation of health promotion and prevention programs at universities.

Prevalência de comportamentos de risco em adulto jovem e universitário

“…Veteran students, who have been experiencing the academic life for a longer period, display significant proportions of risk factors for non-transmissible chronic disease, in comparison with students who have recently entered college. (9) The number of Brazilian students enrolled in higher education institutions has been steadily growing, and the expansion of the university population represents an opportunity to identify healthrisk behaviors. Additionally, very few studies related to health-based behaviors among young university students in the Midwest region of Brazil, and especially in the Federal District and its surroundings, have been produced.…”

Perception of the lifestyle of mechanical engineering students in Curitiba, Brazil

“…Cuando el estudio se refiere a comportamientos de riesgo de estudiantes, el año de estudio no interfiere significativamente en el análisis, puesto que, en su gran mayoría, los estudiantes compartían el mismo estilo de vida (21). Otro estudio indicó que, estadísticamente, los estudiantes de último año presentaban, en mayor riesgo, hábitos de comportamiento preventivo (29).…”

“…Los estudiantes universitarios son considerados un grupo de vulnerabilidad en relación a factores de riesgo, ya que la vida académica puede traer implicaciones positivas y negativas en el estado de salud, modificando así, el estilo de vida (20,21). Se sabe que 20% presenta una autopercepción negativa de sus hábitos de salud (22) mientras que 27,3% de los hombres y 37,8% de las mujeres presentan un estilo de vida sedentario (23).…”

Consumo de tabaco entre universitários: uma revisão sistemática Tobacco consumption among college students: a systematic review

“…33,65 It is important to note that these students have knowledge about the dangers of tobacco, but do not abandon this habit. 27 This may occur by an inadequate curriculum of courses in this area, because students are only informed about the harm, when need be sensitized to thus achieve develop empathy for the sick.…”