International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health

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Special Issue Editor

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

Healthy lifestyle promotion is recognized as an important determinant of health status. It is estimated that up to 60% of the quality of life depends on actions linked to health promotion and lifestyle behaviors, such as physical activity, sedentary behavior, eating habits, sleep, alcohol consumption, smoking and substance abuse. In this context, healthy lifestyles fundamentally depend on the early adoption of health habits. In fact, more harmful habits adopted by adults are strongly linked to unhealthy behaviors stemming from young ages. Reports indicate that half of preventable premature deaths may be associated with unhealthy habits incorporated in childhood and adolescence. Despite the difficulty in modifying unhealthy habits that adults adopt during childhood and adolescence, many harmful effects of risk behaviors identified at this age could be minimized or avoided if these behaviors were identified and modified at an early stage. In general, it has been suggested that healthy behavior established at a young age can help identify health status and the risks of presenting chronic non-communicable diseases later in life. Therefore, it is essential to monitor the lifestyle components of young people in order to promote their present and future health. We are particularly interested in novel multi-behavioral interventions that target these outcomes within young people from different cultures and regions of the world. We also welcome observational studies examining longitudinal, moderated and mediated relationships. Other manuscript types accepted include systematic reviews, meta-analysis and methodological papers.

Prof. Dr. Dartagnan Pinto Guedes
Guest Editor

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Keywords

health behaviors
health outcome
health-promoting behaviors
physical activity
nutrition
lifestyle interventions
disease prevention
children
adolescents
young adults

Published Papers (2 papers)

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Research

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16 pages, 370 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Prevalence and Correlates of Health Risk Behaviors among University Students from a State in the Southern Region of Brazil

by Dartagnan Pinto Guedes, Keila Aparecida de Lima and Andre Luis dos Santos Silva

Int. J. Environ. Res. Public Health 2024, 21(5), 612; https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph21050612 (registering DOI) - 11 May 2024

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Abstract

Background: Surveys conducted in different regions of the world show that the prevalence rates of health risk behaviors (HRBs) in university students are sometimes higher than those found in non-university populations. This study aims to identify the prevalence rates and demographic and academic environment correlates associated with HRBs among Brazilian university students. Methods: In a cross-sectional epidemiological study, a random sample of 5310 university students answered an online questionnaire, with demographic (sex, age, skin color, marital status, and paid work) and academic setting information (housing type, size of campus, year, and shift of study), as well as items clustered in four HRB domains: personal safety and violence, sexual behavior and contraception, addictive substance use, eating habits, physical activity, and sleep. The data were analyzed statistically using bivariate analysis and hierarchical multiple regression. Results: The highest prevalence rates occurred in HRBs clustered in the domain of eating habits, physical activity, and sleep (>60%), while HRBs for personal security and violence were less prevalent (<15%). From 15% to 35% of university students assumed HRBs regarding addictive substance use, and approximately 50% reported risky sexual behavior. The university students most susceptible to HRBs were men, aged ≥ 22 years, living far from their family, studying on larger campuses, attending night classes, and with two or more years of study at the university. Conclusion: The findings suggest that policies and interventions in the university context aimed at students’ readiness to engage in a healthy lifestyle should target specific correlates associated with HRBs. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Lifestyle Behaviors and Health Promotion in Young People)

Review

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26 pages, 994 KiB

Open AccessReview

by João Antônio Chula de Castro, Tiago Rodrigues de Lima and Diego Augusto Santos Silva

Int. J. Environ. Res. Public Health 2024, 21(5), 541; https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph21050541 - 25 Apr 2024

Viewed by 617

Abstract

Background: Health-related physical fitness has been widely used to investigate the adverse effects of HIV infection/ART in children and adolescents. However, methods/protocols and cut-points applied for investigating health-related physical fitness are not clear. The aim of this scoping review was to map the literature to identify gaps in knowledge regarding the methods/protocols and cut-points. Methods: A scoping review, following the Joana Briggs Institute (JBI) guidelines, was conducted through ten major databases. Search followed the PCC strategy to construct block of terms related to population (children and adolescents), concept (health-related physical fitness components) and context (HIV infection). Results: The search resulted in 7545 studies. After duplicate removal, titles and abstracts reading and full text assessment, 246 studies were included in the scoping review. Body composition was the most investigated component (n = 244), followed by muscular strength/endurance (n = 23), cardiorespiratory fitness (n = 15) and flexibility (n = 4). The World Health Organization growth curves, and nationals’ surveys were the most reference values applied to classify body composition (n = 149), followed by internal cut-points (n = 30) and cut-points developed through small populations (n = 16). Cardiorespiratory fitness was classified through cut-points from three different assessment batteries, as well as cut-points developed through studies with small populations, muscular strength/endurance and flexibility were classified through the same cut-points from five different assessment batteries. Conclusions: The research on muscular strength/endurance, cardiorespiratory fitness and flexibility has been scarcely explored. The lack of studies that investigated method usability as well as reference values was evidenced. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Lifestyle Behaviors and Health Promotion in Young People)

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