erfan shahabinejad

Health-promoting behaviors and healthy lifestyle are the main strategies to facilitate and maintain health. The purpose of this research was to determine health-promoting behaviors in students of Rafsanjan University of Medical Sciences.

In this descriptive study, 450 students of Rafsanjan University of Medical Sciences were studied by stratified random sampling method in 2022. The data collection tool was a questionnaire including demographic information and a valid health-promoting behavior questionnaire. The questionnaires were completed as a self-report by students. Data were analyzed using independent two-sample t-test and one-way analysis of variance.

The mean and standard deviation of the age of the students was 20.86±3.19 years. The scores of the self-improvement section (23.33±5.20) were the highest scores and the scores of the stress management section (18.54±3.68) were the lowest scores. There was a significant statistical association between the total score of students' health-promoting behaviors and the scores of the variables of marital status and educational level (p<0.05). Also, a statistically significant association was observed between the physical activity dimension score and the gender variable and the responsibility and nutrition dimensions score and the marital status variable (p<0.05).

Since the total score of the health-promoting behaviors of the studied students was in the middle class, with proper planning, the university can help students create a positive health concept and strengthen their awareness and performance about balanced nutrition, regular exercise, stress management, and attention to their health or self-care.

College students are more likely to eat fast foods, since university is a critical period for them regarding unhealthy lifestyles. This study aims to investigate the predictors of fast-food consumption in students of Rafsanjan University of Medical Sciences (RUMS) based on the theory of planned behavior (TPB).

 In this descriptive-analytical study, participants were 350 RUMS students selected by a stratified random sampling method from five faculties. After collecting the data and entering them into SPSS software, version 16, they were analyzed using descriptive statistics (mean, standard deviation) and analytical tests, including Spearman’s correlation test, t-test, and linear regression analysis.

The mean age of the participants was 21.06±2.51 years (ranged 18-38 years). Fast-food consumption behavior had a positive significant correlation with the TPB constructs of positive behavioral intention, positive subjective norms, and positive attitude, and had a negative significant correlation with the knowledge level and the TPB domain of perceived behavioral control (P<0.05). These TPB constructs predicted 7% of the variance in fast-food consumption behavior and 12% of behavioral intention. The construct of positive subjective norms was the strongest predictor of fast-food consumption behavior (β=0.241) and behavioral intention (β=0.271).

The TPB construct of positive subjective norms is the strongest predictor of fast-food consumption behavior in RUMS students. It is recommended to develop educational interventions for reducing positive subjective norms of students regarding the consumption of fast foods to reduce their consumption rate.