Healthy lifestyles and risk behavior of medical students

Abstract

Introduction: Lifestyles are patterns of behavior that have a relative consistency over time and are determined by the interaction between the individual personal characteristics and social, economic and environmental factors. Objective: To describe healthy living practices of students of a medical program from Higher Education Institution in Bogotá, in relation to life styles associated activity are presented dimensions physical activity, leisure, food, alcohol consumption, cigarettes and illegal drugs; sleep, coping and sexuality. Methodology: Cross-sectional study conducted in September 2014. Participants were 651 medical students who filled in the Cuestionario de Estilos de Vida de Jóvenes Universitarios. The average score for each dimension globally and stratified by gender was compared with the average score reference instrument implementing a T Student test. The frequency of motivations and resources of each dimension is determined and the relationship between the scores of each was assessed by calculating the Spearman correlation coefficients. Results: Of the seven dimensions evaluated by the instrument, it was identified that the students did not have healthy practices for physical activity and leisure time. Conclusions: It was shown healthy lifestyles in the most of evaluated dimensions among Medicine students. It suggest to propose strategies for fomenting activities that reinforce a greatest use of free time and motivation for the physical activity.