An evaluation of healthy lifestyle behaviors, related factors and rate of obesity among students of Zonguldak Bülent Ecevit University Faculty of Medicine

Aim: Aim of this study is to evaluate dietary habits and lifestyles; to document differences between physically active and sedentary individuals; and to identify the rate of obesity among students of Zonguldak Bülent Ecevit University (ZBEUN) Faculty of Medicine. Materials and Methods: This study is a cross-sectional, descriptive study performed on individuals studying medicine at ZBEUN Faculty of Medicine between dates of July 1 2018 and March 1 2019. There were questions in sociodemographic data form which are related with age, gender, length, weight, marital status, educational status of their parents, level of income, home address, status of smoking and alcohol consumption, regular exercise level of participants. International Physical Activity Questionnare- Short Form (IPAQ) and Healthy Lifestyle Behavior Scale-I (HLBS-I) were used for evaluating physical activity level and healthy lifestyle behaviors; respectively. Descriptive statistics of categorical variables were presented with frequency and percentage whereas descriptive statistics of continuous variables were presented with average, standard deviation, median, minimum and maximum values according to distribution status (normal-not normal) of numeric data. Normal distribution status of continuous variables was evaluated with Shapiro Wilk's test. Inter-group comparisons of continuous variables was performed with Mann Whitney U test. Inter-group comparisons of categorical variables was performed with Pearson Chi-Square test. Results with p levels below 0.05 were considered as statistically significant. Results: A total of 711 individiuals was enrolled in this study. Only 531 individuals completely answered IPAQ scale. Obesity rate was found as 3% among enrolled students. There was no difference between female and male participants in terms of obesity rate. HLBS total and subscale points of participants were found as average and there was no significantly different total scores between education years of participants. Only 11% of participants was exercising adequately according to IPAQ criterion. HLBS total scores and scores of health responsibility/diet/stress management subscales of physically active students according to IPAQ criterion were higher. Conclusion: HLBS total and subscale points of participants were average. Therefore, it was concluded that students of our faculty needs intervention for improving healthy lifestyle behaviors. Due to higher HLBS total scores and higher scores of health responsibility/diet/stress management subscales of physically active students, it was thought that intervention about improving healthy lifestyle behaviors can be increased by improving physical activity opportunities of our faculty.