Assessment of Lifestyle Habits and Health-related Behaviors among University Students in Iraq: Evidence from Bilad Al-Rafidain University College

Abstract

University students experience various lifestyle factors that influence their behavioral, physical, and psychological well-being. Understanding lifestyle patterns among students is essential for designing effective programs to promote health in our country, Iraq. Limited data exist regarding lifestyle behaviors among students in pharmacy and related health sciences. This study examined lifestyle habits and health-related behaviors among students at an Iraqi university and identified associations among physical activity, smoking, stress, dietary habits, and body weight status. This cross-sectional descriptive analytical study was conducted. A sample of 250 students was randomly selected from the study population during the academic year 2022–2023. The research showed that participants who performed physical activity constituted a higher percentage than those who did not (38.4%). The majority of them walked daily for 1–2 hours (31.2%) as their main means of transportation, while the highest percentage preferred to meet their needs by car (59.6%). Those who slept less than 6 hours a day constituted the majority (30.4%) of this group. Nonsmokers constituted 80.4% of the participants. Among smokers, most used electronic cigarettes (38.8%). Students suffering from stress constituted 80.4%, with studying being the main source of stress (41.2%). Smoking was significantly associated with stress in this age group (x 2 = 3.98, p = 0.046). Students who were committed to measuring their weight represented 68%, those who regularly ate meals represented 42%, those who consumed fast food represented 58.8%, and 64% were committed to drinking water daily. A strong association was found between fast food consumption and non-ideal body weight (x 2 = 13.09, p -value = 0.0003), indicating that students with non-ideal body weight were more likely to consume fast food. The article shows that many students do not engage in sufficient physical activity and that sleep problems are common among them. A large number of students sleep fewer than six hours a night, underscoring the need for universities in Iraq to adopt programs that encourage physical activity, promote health and nutrition, and support stress management. The study reveals several noteworthy findings regarding physical activity, transportation preferences, sleep patterns, smoking habits, stress levels, body weight awareness, and nutritional habits among students.