Search Results (548)

Emerging adults (18–25 years) experience the highest prevalence of mental illness, including anxiety and depression, affecting more than 11 million individuals in the United States. Traditional treatment approaches, such as psychotherapy and pharmacotherapy, may not fully address the complex and interrelated risk factors unique to emerging adults. Targeting lifestyle behaviors, including diet, sleep, physical activity, and substance use, has emerged as a promising adjunctive strategy for the prevention and treatment of mental illness. Growing evidence suggests that these behaviors frequently co-occur and may exert synergistic effects on mental health outcomes. This review synthesizes findings from observational studies and randomized controlled trials examining the relationship between combined lifestyle behaviors and mental illness in emerging adults. A total of 17 studies met inclusion criteria, including 14 observational studies and three intervention trials. Observational findings consistently indicated that lifestyle patterns characterized by a greater number of unhealthy behaviors were associated with higher levels of depression, anxiety, and psychological distress. In contrast, the three intervention studies did not demonstrate significant improvements in mental health outcomes following lifestyle interventions. Overall, the findings suggest a synergistic effect of multiple lifestyle behaviors associated with mental illness in emerging adults. However, substantial heterogeneity in how studies defined and categorized “healthy” versus “unhealthy” behaviors limited cross-study comparisons. This review highlights the need for standardized measurement approaches and more rigorous intervention trials to elucidate the potential synergistic effects of combined lifestyle modifications on mental health outcomes in this population. Full article

Background: Preventing mobility-related loss of independence (LoI) is a critical public health priority. While the drivers of LoI are complex, this study examines how personal, social, and environmental factors influence these outcomes to identify actionable preventive targets. We applied the International Classification of Functioning, Disability, and Health (ICF) framework to examine these pathways across racial and ethnic groups. Methods: Using 2023 National Health and Aging Trends Study (NHATS) data (N = 7106), we conducted path analyses among non-Hispanic (NH) White, NH Black, and Hispanic older adults. We assessed associations between health conditions, body function, physical performance, social participation, and environmental factors. Results: The ICF-based model explained 36.6–38.2% of LoI variance. While physical performance was the strongest direct predictor of independence across all groups, indirect pathways varied. Social participation restrictions are associated with higher LoI score among NH White and Black adults. For Hispanic adults, limited English proficiency functioned as a key environmental variable negatively associated with body function and physical performance. Additionally, shared living arrangements among NH Black participants were negatively associated with physical performance. By gender, only NH White females exhibited associations with better physical and social outcomes. Conclusions: Pathways to LoI are associated with group-specific structural factors. To effectively prevent functional decline, healthcare policies should move beyond generic services toward culturally responsive interventions. Prioritizing targeted lifestyle behaviors—specifically social engagement for NH Black populations and linguistic accessibility for Hispanic adults—may help reduce health inequities and proactively preserve independence. Full article

Background: Medical students are vulnerable to sleep disturbance and nocturnal eating behaviors that may jointly increase psychiatric and metabolic morbidity. Comprehensive sleep-eating evaluations in Turkish medical students remain limited. To determine the prevalence of poor sleep quality and night eating syndrome (NES) risk and to examine their cross-sectional associations with insomnia, anxiety, emotional eating, restless legs symptoms, chronotype, and lifestyle factors. Methods: This cross-sectional study, conducted from March to December 2023, included 265 medical students who completed validated instruments assessing sleep quality (Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index [PSQI]), night eating syndrome (NES) risk (a score of ≥25 indicating high risk), insomnia severity, daytime sleepiness (Epworth Sleepiness Scale [ESS]), anxiety, emotional eating, Restless Legs Syndrome (RLS) symptoms, and chronotype. Group comparisons, Spearman’s correlation analyses, and multiple linear regression were conducted. Results: Poor sleep quality (PSQI > 5) affected 50.2% of participants, and high NES risk affected 14.7%. PSQI correlated with NEQ (r = 0.301; p < 0.001), insomnia severity (r = 0.538), anxiety, and emotional eating. Mean NEQ was higher in the poor-sleep group (18.67 ± 8.00 vs. 15.38 ± 6.36; p < 0.001; Cohen’s d = 0.455). Females had higher PSQI and ESS scores, anxiety, and emotional eating scores; high NES risk was numerically more frequent in males (18.6% vs. 11.8%; p = 0.175). RLS symptoms (score > 0) were present in 34.7% (mild 22.6%; moderate 7.9%; severe 4.2%). In the primary multivariable model (PSQI and sex), PSQI was the strongest independent correlate of NEQ (standardized β = 0.325; p < 0.001); sensitivity analyses showed stable PSQI estimates after additional covariate adjustment, whereas sex coefficients were non-significant and unstable across models. A secondary model excluding PSQI identified alcohol use as a significant lifestyle correlate (standardized β = 0.167; p = 0.014). R² = 0.148 for the full covariate model and R² = 0.108 for the primary model. Conclusions: Sleep disturbance and NES risk are prevalent and cross-sectionally associated in Turkish medical students. Poor sleep quality was the strongest independent correlate of night eating scores. Integrated campus screening targeting sleep, eating behavior, anxiety, and comorbid sleep symptoms may facilitate prevention and referral. Full article

Background: Coronary artery disease (CAD) remains a leading global health burden largely driven by modifiable risk factors, and public awareness plays a critical role in its prevention and early risk reduction. However, gaps in knowledge and behavioral practice persist. Objective: This study aims to assess awareness of CAD risk factors and examine its relationship with the socio-demographic characteristics, lifestyle behaviors, personal medical history, and family history among residents of the Jazan Region, Saudi Arabia. Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted among 559 participants between April and May of 2026. Data were collected using a structured questionnaire assessing awareness of behavioral, clinical, and non-modifiable risk factors. Awareness was scored out of 12 and categorized as poor (<50%), moderate (50–75%), or high (>75%). Chi-square tests were applied to analyze associations, and binary logistic regression analysis was performed to determine independent factors associated with high awareness. The results are expressed as adjusted odds ratios (aORs) with 95% confidence intervals. Statistical significance was set at p < 0.05, and data were analyzed using IBM SPSS Statistics v.29. Results: Among the 559 participants, 67.3% demonstrated high awareness, 29.9% moderate awareness, and 2.9% poor awareness of CAD risk factors. Awareness of modifiable factors was high, including smoking (96.8%), obesity (95.5%), hypertension (94.6%), and high cholesterol (93.4%), while non-modifiable factors such as family history (54.6%) and sex (60.3%) were less recognized. In the bivariate analysis, significant associations with awareness were found for age, body mass index (BMI), education, marital status, and employment status. Exercise was significantly associated with awareness (p = 0.020), with higher awareness levels observed in individuals with greater activity. High awareness was independently linked to a higher educational level (aOR = 1.76, p = 0.009) and a previous diagnosis of CAD (aOR = 6.28, p = 0.014). Conclusions: This study found moderate to high CAD risk factor knowledge among adult residents in the Jazan Region. Self-reported preventative practices differed among health behaviors, demonstrating that awareness alone may not always lead to healthy lifestyles. As the cross-sectional nature of the study precludes causal conclusions, more longitudinal, qualitative, or theory-informed research is needed to understand the drivers of healthy behavior adoption. Full article

Background: Impaired glucose tolerance (IGT) is the principal prediabetic stage preceding type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2D), yet islet-specific biomarkers capable of tracking progressive molecular changes from normal glucose tolerance (NGT) through IGT to T2D remain unestablished. We sought to identify a multi-gene biomarker panel with monotonically increasing expression and causal support across the full glycemic continuum. Methods: Two human islet transcriptomic datasets (GSE76895, GSE164416; n = 181: NGT 50, IGT 56, T2D 75) were integrated following ComBat batch correction. Candidate biomarkers were identified at the intersection of limma differential expression and weighted gene co-expression network analysis (WGCNA), then refined through a five-algorithm machine learning consensus (LASSO, random forest, XGBoost, SVM-RFE, elastic net). Progressive expression was assessed by the Jonckheere–Terpstra (J–T) trend test. Two-sample Mendelian randomization (MR) with eQTLGen cis-eQTL instruments, Steiger directionality testing, and Bayesian colocalization provided causal inference. A diagnostic model was internally validated via 1000-iteration bootstrap resampling. Cell-type specificity was verified using single-cell RNA sequencing (GSE200044; 127,919 cells). Results: A 12-gene biomarker panel (ALDOB, DKK3, PCOLCE2, KCNE4, INHBA, IRF8, ITGB2, LAPTM5, MYOF, RAMP3, RUNX2, S100A4) was identified, with all members passing Bonferroni-corrected J–T trend testing across the NGT–IGT–T2D axis (p ≤ 2.4 × 10⁻³). Notably, a direct IGT-versus-NGT transcriptome-wide comparison (11,948 genes) yielded no significant DEGs after FDR correction, indicating that prediabetic islet signals are subtle and detectable only through progressive trend analysis on preselected candidates. Nevertheless, the mean IGT-stage effect size of the 12 hub genes reached 41.9% of the T2D value, with KCNE4 achieving 94.0% (nominal p = 1.75 × 10⁻⁴), identifying it as the earliest-altered biomarker. Two-sample MR using whole-blood eQTLs suggested protective effects of genetically proxied MYOF (OR 0.999, FDR = 1.68 × 10⁻⁴) and RUNX2 (OR 0.998, FDR = 1.68 × 10⁻⁴) on T2D risk, with Steiger testing supporting an expression-to-disease direction (p < 10⁻³⁶). However, Bayesian colocalization indicated independent causal variants at both loci (PP.H3 > 0.76, PP.H4 < 0.001), substantially weakening the causal interpretation and suggesting that the MR associations may reflect linkage disequilibrium rather than shared causal biology. The panel achieved a bootstrap-corrected AUC of 0.833 (apparent 0.879) with PR-AUC of 0.951. Single-cell validation confirmed upregulation of 7 hub genes in β cells and revealed cell-type-specific patterns invisible in bulk data, including bidirectional INHBA regulation between β and α cells and progressive α-cell proportion expansion (28.97% → 46.41%). Pathway enrichment converged on three mechanistic axes: extracellular matrix remodeling, immune activation, and autoimmune-like responses, with direct enrichment of the type 1 diabetes pathway (hsa04940). Conclusions: This study establishes a 12-gene progressive islet biomarker panel spanning the NGT–IGT–T2D continuum, supported by machine learning robustness, genetic causal evidence, diagnostic modeling, and single-cell biological validation. KCNE4 emerges as a candidate early-warning biomarker for prediabetes, while MYOF and RUNX2 represent causally supported compensatory targets, collectively providing a multilayered foundation for T2D risk stratification and precision intervention. From a clinical perspective, the identification of progressive islet biomarkers at the prediabetic stage provides molecular support for early lifestyle intervention, reinforcing that timely detection and behavioral modification remain the most effective strategies to prevent T2D progression. Full article

The incidence of neoplastic disorders worldwide has steadily increased, and Romania is no exception, showing a substantial rise in active oncologic surveillance cases. Family physicians are essential to the multidisciplinary team, providing screening, early diagnosis, care during and after cancer treatment, comorbidity management, and palliative care. Primary prevention through lifestyle behavioral changes and early detection in the asymptomatic phase remain the most effective strategies to reduce cancer morbidity and mortality. However, structural barriers within the Romanian primary healthcare system, specifically fragmented digital infrastructure, administrative workloads and limited patient health literacy, frequently restrict these preventive activities. The aim of this narrative review is to analyze cancer prevention and management within Romania’s current demographic and socio-economic context, comparing the national system to models from the UK, the Netherlands, and Spain. The analysis highlights operational gaps, including low breast, cervical, and colorectal screening uptake in Romania. We concluded that optimizing patient care requires transitioning to an integrated pathway, supported by practical reforms like digital fast-track scheduling modules managed directly by family physicians. Full article

Dementia is a growing global health challenge, yet many determinants of late-life cognitive decline emerge decades before symptoms appear. Midlife is a practical window for prevention because hypertension, diabetes, obesity, dyslipidemia, smoking, physical inactivity, unhealthy diet, sleep disturbance, and social isolation can be identified and modified before substantial brain injury becomes apparent. This narrative review synthesizes evidence linking midlife vascular and lifestyle exposures to late-life cognitive impairment and dementia. The most consistent data support a life-course model in which cumulative vascular, metabolic, inflammatory, and behavioral risks interact with neurodegenerative pathology and cognitive reserve. Vascular and metabolic factors act largely through small-vessel disease, endothelial dysfunction, and inflammation, whereas physical activity, healthy diet, sleep, and social engagement may strengthen resilience. Although observational evidence is vulnerable to confounding and single-risk trials may underestimate cumulative benefit, multidomain prevention remains biologically plausible and clinically actionable, as recent trials reaffirm. These priorities are especially salient in the rapidly transitioning Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) countries, where midlife cardiometabolic risk is high and local evidence is limited. Dementia prevention should be embedded in routine midlife care, with vascular risk management and sustained lifestyle support treated as core elements of lifelong brain health. Full article

Background: Oral cancer remains a major global health concern, with increasing incidence and mortality, especially in developing countries. Public awareness is crucial for early detection and improved outcomes. Objective: To assess oral cancer awareness, recognition of risk factors and early signs, screening behavior, and care-seeking preferences among patients attending a university dental hospital in Türkiye. Methods: This cross-sectional, facility-based survey included 1360 volunteer patients who attended the Faculty of Dentistry between January and December 2025. Consecutive sampling was used to include all eligible and consenting individuals. A structured questionnaire assessed participants’ sociodemographic characteristics, oral cancer awareness, knowledge of symptoms and risk factors, screening history, and lifestyle habits. Data were analyzed using IBM SPSS Statistics 26.0 (IBM Corp., Armonk, NY, USA). Descriptive statistics, chi-square tests, and multivariable logistic regression analyses were performed. Statistical significance was set at p < 0.05. Main outcomes and measures: The primary outcome was oral cancer awareness (measured by the question “Have you ever heard of oral cancer?”). Secondary outcomes included knowledge of risk factors and early clinical signs, screening history, preferred healthcare contact for suspected oral cancer, and lifestyle factors (tobacco and alcohol). Associations between sociodemographic variables and oral cancer awareness were also evaluated. Results: The sample consisted of 1360 participants (56.4% female; mean age: 33.44 ± 14.60 years; range: 18–70). Of the 1377 questionnaires collected, 1360 were complete and included in the final analysis (questionnaire completion rate: 98.8%). Breast cancer was the most recognized cancer (96.9%), whereas only 50.8% of participants had heard of oral cancer. Dentists (39.4%) were the primary source of information. Tobacco use (92.2%) and alcohol consumption (80.3%) were the most frequently identified risk factors, whereas only 58.3% recognized human papillomavirus as a risk factor for oral cancer. In univariate analyses, oral cancer awareness was significantly associated with age, marital status, education level, monthly income, occupation, alcohol use, and the timing of the most recent dental visit (p < 0.05). In multivariable logistic regression, undergraduate education (OR = 2.008, 95% CI: 1.135–3.553), higher monthly income (>100,000 TRY vs. <25,000 TRY, OR = 2.398, 95% CI: 1.571–3.658), alcohol use (OR = 1.521, 95% CI: 1.082–2.139), and a dental visit within the previous year (OR = 4.130, 95% CI: 1.590–10.730) remained independently associated with oral cancer awareness. Conclusions: Oral cancer awareness in this study population was limited. The findings suggest that targeted educational strategies may be beneficial for improving oral cancer awareness. Strengthening dentists’ preventive role and promoting education through social media may help improve oral cancer awareness and facilitate earlier detection. Full article

Background/Objectives: Empowerment strategies promoting healthy behaviors are important for preventing chronic diseases and cancer, while individual health responsibility (IHR) plays a significant role. Although widely discussed in the literature, the concept of IHR does not have clearly defined domains or a validated instrument for assessment. Its overlap with locus of control theory, self-motivation, and personality type creates further difficulties. Meanwhile, perception of one’s own responsibility for health is an intuitive, simple item to answer, reflecting a person’s belief related to this topic. Moreover, for ethical reasons, this concept cannot be separated from personal beliefs and should not be adjusted according to strict scales and externally imposed definitions. Therefore, this study aimed to: (1) explore whether there is an association between self-perception of IHR and preventive/risk-taking behaviors; and (2) examine socio-demographic factors associated with the IHR score and three self-perceived characteristics, namely self-perceived locus of control, health literacy, and health status. Methods: A cross-sectional study with 968 healthcare workers was conducted in a large, multidisciplinary hospital covering several behaviors (smoking, alcohol consumption, diet, and participation in a screening program for hepatitis C). IHR was evaluated on a scale from 1 to 10, where 1 meant “to very little extent” and 10 meant “to a great extent”. Results: The average IHR score was 8.80 (SD = 1.88). In the univariate analysis, the IHR score was significantly related to gender, age, education, marital status, and all three personal characteristics. In the multivariate analysis, the socio-demographic associations lost statistical significance. IHR maintained its association with the healthy diet score in the multivariable model (B = 0.113, p = 0.036). In the unadjusted analyses, the distribution of IHR differed between participants who declared alcohol consumption and those who declared abstinence (χ² = 17.157, p = 0.002). However, this association was not retained in the multivariable model. Self-perceived internal locus of control was negatively associated with screening acceptance, but not with IHR. The OR of 0.927 refers to a one-point increase on the 1–10 scale. Across the full observed scale range, this corresponds to an OR of 0.51 (95% CI: 0.29–0.89), indicating lower odds of screening acceptance among participants with higher perceived internal control. Because this estimate assumes linearity across the entire scale, it should be interpreted cautiously. Conclusions: The gap between perceived responsibility and actual behavior suggests that IHR messaging alone is unlikely to be sufficient. Future research should consider social desirability and external locus of control when analyzing IHR and health behaviors. Full article

Background: Oral diseases remain a major public health challenge globally and in Hungary, where untreated caries, periodontal disease, and edentulism are highly prevalent. Diet is a key modifiable determinant of oral health, yet the cumulative impact of multiple unfavorable nutritional behaviors on self-perceived oral health has not been assessed at the national level in Hungary, nor have population-attributable fraction (PAF) estimates been reported. Methods: This cross-sectional study analyzed data from 5146 adults in the 2019 Hungarian European Health Interview Survey. A six-component nutritional-risk score was constructed from self-reported dietary behaviors (fruit intake, vegetable intake, sugary soft drink consumption, sweets consumption, processed meat consumption, and water intake). Survey-weighted logistic regression estimated associations between nutritional-risk categories and poor self-perceived oral health, adjusting for sociodemographic, lifestyle, and health-related covariates. Counterfactual PAFs with 95% Monte Carlo uncertainty intervals (1000 bootstrap replications) were estimated for three nutritional-risk scenarios. Results: The weighted prevalence of poor self-perceived oral health was 19.2%. Compared with participants with 0–1 unfavorable nutritional factors, those with 3 factors (OR = 1.37; 95% CI: 1.09–1.73) and 4–6 factors (OR = 1.46; 95% CI: 1.15–1.85) had significantly higher odds of poor oral health. Low water intake was independently associated with poor oral health (OR = 1.38; 95% CI: 1.16–1.64). The main counterfactual PAF analysis estimated that 16.1% (Monte Carlo 95% UI: 5.93–26.48%) of poor oral health burden was attributable to unfavorable nutritional profiles. High nutritional risk was also associated with active caries, gum bleeding, and tooth loss. Conclusions: Cumulative nutritional risk is independently associated with poor self-perceived oral health in Hungarian adults. Integrating dietary improvements into oral health prevention strategies may substantially reduce the population-level burden of oral disease. Full article

Primary prevention is essential to reduce disease burden before clinical onset, yet it remains less systematically integrated into care than diagnosis and treatment. Although artificial intelligence (AI) is increasingly used in medicine, most applications have focused on secondary and tertiary prevention, including diagnosis, prognostic stratification, and disease management, while its role in primary prevention remains less defined. This narrative review examines current AI applications across four modifiable lifestyle domains relevant to prevention and healthspan promotion: nutrition, physical activity, sleep, and mental health. We synthesize evidence on machine-learning models, wearable-derived algorithms, computer-vision tools, just-in-time adaptive interventions, and conversational agents used in consumer, community, and hybrid clinical–digital settings. AI applications support postprandial glycemic prediction, automated dietary assessment, meal-planning adherence, sedentary-pattern detection, personalized exercise recommendations, adaptive behavioral nudges, sleep monitoring, circadian-aware recommendations, psychoeducation, stress-management support, and early identification of psychological vulnerability. Collectively, these tools may extend prevention beyond episodic clinical encounters toward continuous, personalized, and context-aware support. However, evidence remains limited by short follow-up, reliance on surrogate or engagement outcomes, digitally literate populations, and insufficient validation in real-world preventive-care pathways. AI is therefore a promising enabling technology for proactive, healthspan-oriented medicine, provided future studies demonstrate long-term effectiveness, equity, safety, and responsible implementation. Full article

Background: With the increase in the middle-aged population and sedentary lifestyle, a high incidence of obesity has been observed in humans and in animals. Obesity is consequent or correlated to multiple diseases, such as metabolic-dysfunction-associated fatty liver disease (MASLD), diabetes, dyslipidemia, etc. The attention of many researchers is focused on understanding the specific cellular mechanism and the role of inflammation, particularly chronic, in the development of this pathology as well as its link with dysmetabolic conditions, which seriously affect the survival of both humans and animals. Objective: The aim of this review is to discuss the mechanism responsible for obesity, the specific drugs used in the treatment of this disease, and, considering the link between obesity and inflammation, the possible employment of Palmitoylethanolamide (PEA), a natural lipidic mediator with anti-obesity activity in humans and animals. Materials and Methods: The selection of articles chosen for this review paper was performed through the most important electronic databases (PubMed, Scopus, Web of Science, and Google Scholar); the specific inclusion criteria were applied systematically each time to ensure that the selection of papers closely aligned. Results: The treatment of obesity is focused on the management of weight through dietary caloric restriction, sustainable nutritional behaviors and long life therapy, which are also useful to prevent comorbidities. Several specific drugs for the treatment of this pathologic condition are available in both human and veterinary medicine. However, considering the documented link between inflammation and obesity, the possible use of PEA, authorized in veterinary medicine as a food supplement, could represent a valid therapeutic strategy in the treatment of human obesity. Conclusions: From studies present in the literature on obesity and its therapeutic approach in both human and veterinary medicine, and considering the importance of natural molecules in health management, the use of PEA as a dietary supplement, for its anorexic and fat-losing properties, could be considered a valid tool to counteract overweight and obesity in humans and animals and to avoid the onset of consequent comorbidities. Full article

Metabolic dysfunction-associated steatotic liver disease (MASLD) represents the hepatic manifestation of systemic metabolic dysfunction and has emerged as one of the leading causes of chronic liver disease worldwide. Its pathogenesis is complex and multifactorial, involving insulin resistance, altered lipid metabolism, mitochondrial dysfunction, oxidative stress, and chronic low-grade inflammation. Beyond these classical mechanisms, growing evidence highlights the central role of modifiable lifestyle-related factors, including chronic positive energy balance, high intake of fructose and saturated fats, ultra-processed foods, physical inactivity, sleep disruption, and environmental exposures such as endocrine-disrupting chemicals and air pollution, which have been associated with the activation of lipogenic and proinflammatory pathways in preclinical and observational studies. Conversely, protective dietary patterns, particularly the Mediterranean diet, together with regular physical activity, exert hepatoprotective metabolic and anti-inflammatory effects. An extensive literature search was conducted across the PubMed, Scopus, Cochrane Library, and Embase databases, covering publications through June 2026. The review was conducted following the SANRA recommendations for narrative reviews. The inclusion criteria encompassed clinical trials, systematic reviews, meta-analyses, and international clinical practice guidelines. This review provides an integrated framework by linking in a single interpretative model the classical pathogenic pathways with emerging dietary, behavioral, and environmental determinants and with systemic interorgan communication networks involving hepatokines, adipokines, and myokines. Understanding MASLD as a multisystemic metabolic disease driven by multiple determinants has critical implications for the development of targeted preventive and therapeutic strategies aimed at reducing its global burden and prevalence. Full article

Background/Objectives: Healthy eating and regular physical activity support chronic disease prevention and healthy aging, while smoking, sugar-sweetened soft drink consumption, and excess weight remain important public health concerns in Europe. Nutritional status and lifestyle behaviors are also relevant to the progression and management of obesity-related metabolic and degenerative diseases, which justify a broader, systems-oriented analysis of lifestyle–health profiles. This study examines the associations between lifestyle behaviors, excess weight, and population health outcomes across European Union Member States and explores whether Member States exhibit distinct lifestyle–health profiles. Methods: The analysis uses cross-sectional data from the European Health Interview Survey for the 27 European Union Member States, along with related Eurostat indicators. Healthy dietary behavior is measured through daily fruit and vegetable consumption. The study also includes health-enhancing physical activity, daily smoking, sugar-sweetened soft drink consumption, overweight and obesity prevalence, life expectancy, and healthy life years. Pearson and Spearman correlations, reduced linear regression models, hierarchical clustering, K-means clustering, and cluster-based comparisons are used. Results: Healthy dietary behavior was positively associated with life expectancy (r = 0.459, p = 0.016), as was health-enhancing physical activity (r = 0.435, p = 0.023), while overweight prevalence was negatively associated with life expectancy (r = −0.505, p = 0.007). The reduced regression model, including healthy dietary behavior, physical activity, and overweight prevalence, explained 47.4% of the variance in life expectancy. Cluster analysis identified three distinct lifestyle–health profiles: a healthy-diet, low-excess-weight and high-longevity profile; a lower-diet-quality, higher-smoking and lower-health-outcome profile; and a mixed profile characterized by low smoking, higher excess weight, and relatively favorable health outcomes. Conclusions: The study supports a systems-oriented view of lifestyle and population health in Europe. Its findings may inform more targeted nutrition, obesity prevention, and public health policies across EU countries. Full article

Background/Objectives: This study aimed to assess oral health values, oral hygiene habits, preventive dental attendance, and lifestyle-related risk factors among students at the University of Osijek and to compare findings between students enrolled in health-related and non-health-related study programs. Methods: A cross-sectional survey was conducted among 331 students (186 health-related and 145 non-health-related). Participants were recruited using a convenience sampling approach. Data were collected using an anonymous questionnaire comprising demographic information, oral health–related behaviors, and the Croatian version of the Oral Health Values Scale (OHVS-CRO). Group differences were analyzed using nonparametric statistical tests. Results: Students enrolled in health-related study programs reported significantly more favorable oral hygiene behaviors, including more frequent toothbrushing, greater use of dental floss, interdental brushes, and mouthwash, as well as more regular preventive dental attendance (all p < 0.05). They also achieved significantly higher OHVS-CRO scores across all domains and on the total scale (median total score: 42 vs. 40; p < 0.001). No significant differences were observed regarding smoking, alcohol consumption, or refined sugar intake. Conclusions: Students enrolled in health-related study programs demonstrated higher oral health values and more favorable oral health-related behaviors than students enrolled in non-health-related study programs. These findings suggest an association between educational orientation and oral health values and behaviors and may inform future oral health promotion initiatives targeting university students. Full article