On the Issue of Forming the Perception of a Healthy Lifestyle among Youth: The Example of Vladivostok University Students

Abstract

Introduction: Health of student youth is a strategic priority that contributes to better adaptation of students to socio-physiological processes in learning and subsequent professional labor. The lifestyle and habits affect health; thus, building and strengthening of commitment to a healthy lifestyle in young people is the only manageable resource for improving health of the society. Objective: To analyze and assess the attitude and commitment of student youth towards values and perceptions of a healthy lifestyle. Materials and methods: We conducted a questionnaire-based survey of university students on the perceived criteria of a responsible attitude towards their health in the 2020–2021 academic year. The questionnaire included 20 questions on the topics of health and a healthy lifestyle and was anonymously filled out by 195 first to third year students of the Vladivostok State University of Economics and Service (Group 1; 81 boys and 114 girls) and 210 students of the Pacific State Medical University (Group 2; 78 boys and 132 girls). The mean age of boys was 19 ± 0.9 to 21 ± 0.3 years and that of girls, 20 ± 0.6 to 22 ± 0.1 years. The information obtained was processed and analyzed using SPSS Statistics 17.0. Results: We established a negative trend in the attitude of students towards their health over the study period. This applied to both self-rated health and adherence to a healthy lifestyle. Unhealthy behavioral practices, such as low physical activity, bad habits, and passive leisure, persisted. Conclusions: The survey results served as the basis for developing proposals and recommendations on the expediency of promoting the interest of students to building healthy lifestyle skills in the changing socio-economic and epidemiological situation.