Published date: May 17 2018

Journal Title: KnE Life Sciences

Issue title: The 2nd International Meeting of Public Health 2016 (IMOPH) – Part I

Pages: 161–172

DOI: 10.18502/kls.v4i4.2274

W Ting Tongtongwenting@um.edu.my

M A Islam

W Y Low

W Y Choo Claire

A Adina

University students are asset of any nations for future development. Their current lifestyle practices, diet and physical activity can determine their future health. This study aims to assess health behaviours and its associated factors among undergraduate students from a public university in Malaysia. This cross-sectional
study was conducted between July to September 2015 among 1023 students using a structured questionnaire. The mean positive health practice score was 8.72/13 (±1.77). The most common positive health care practised was non-tobacco use while the least common was avoiding eating foods that contain fats and cholesterol. Year of study, self-perceived health status, internet addiction and self-perceived importance of taking health measures were significant predictors of health practice among the students. The odds ratios of 0.68, 0.49, and 0.57 indicate that the odds of students in year 2, 3 and 4, respectively practising positive health behaviours were 32% (1-0.68), 51% and 43% lower than those in Year 1. The odds of students who have self-perceived poor health status and those without Internet addiction were 95% and 25% lower in practising positive health behaviours compared to students who perceived themselves to have excellent health status and students with internet addiction, respectively. Students who perceived high importance of taking health measures were 1.77 times more likely to have positive health practices compared to those who have lower perceived importance of taking health measures. The findings of this study will enable development of targeted interventions to improve health behaviors among university students.

Keywords: health behaviours, undergraduate students, lifestyle, Malaysia

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