Health is an aspect of life that is essentially one of the important factors in basic human performance. Health contributes to general well-being and overall lifestyle. A healthy lifestyle was measured by factors like diet, exercise, habits and sleep. These factors aid the person’s health in many different ways. Nutrition and exercise are important to a person’s health. The benefits of these are essential for enhancing healthy body as well as mental and physical fitness. It boosts the immune system, build confidence, reduce and relieve stress and improve learning & mental health3 . Many people due to the stressful lifestyles, are prone to indulge into habits of smocking and consuming alcohol or chewing betel nut, which are detrimental to their lifestyle and eventually their performance at workplace. It moreover can lead to increased dependence over these substances. Sleep is another major aspect in a person’s health. Sleep is a natural state for human beings when they are tired. College students have been found to be a population that does not get enough sleep.4 Lack of sleeping results in a decreased student’s ability to perform during exams5 . This study examined the perception of post graduate students from Dental Colleges of Vidarbh region about a lifestyle and its effect on their health. The main purpose of this study is to explore the major lifestyle factors among college students and the influence on their health.
Key words: Lifestyle practices, Post graduate students, Healthy lifestyle
The World Health Organization defines health
as a “state of complete physical, mental, and
social well-being, and not merely the absence of
disease”. As a state of being free from any kind
of illness or injury. Health is an aspect of life that
is essentially one of the important factors in basic
human performance. It contributes to general well being and overall lifestyle of an individual. Health
also contribute to the physical, psychological and professional performance of an individual.
There are several factors in a person’s lifestyle that
can make them healthy or unhealthy. A healthy
lifestyle was measured by factors like diet, exercise,
habits and sleep. These factors aid the person’s
health in many different ways.
When the Post graduates students enter college
their lifestyle take a major turns due to different
class and work schedules that changes daily and
coping with numerous patient appointments and
OPDs. To cope with the changing environment it is
necessary for them to maintain an healthy lifestyle.
“A healthy doctor will treat a patient into health”.
Nutrition and exercise are important to a person’s
health. The benefits of these are essential for
enhancing healthy body as well as mental and
physical fitness. It boosts the immune system,
build confidence, reduce and relieve stress and
improve learning & mental health3
.
Many people due to the stressful lifestyles, are
prone to indulge into habits of smoking and
consuming alcohol or chewing betel nut, which
are detrimental to their lifestyle and eventually their
performance at workplace. It moreover can lead
to increased dependence over these substances.
Sleep is another major aspect in a person’s health.
Sleep is a natural state for human beings when
they are tired. College students have been found
to be a population that does not get enough sleep.4
Lack of sleeping results in a decreased student’s
ability to perform during exams5
.
This study examined the perception of post
graduate students from Dental Colleges of Vidarbh
region about a lifestyle and its effect on their
health. The main purpose of this study is to explore
the major lifestyle factors among college students
and the influence on their health to improve the
quality of college students life and to keep them
away from diseases and illness.
The study was conducted among Dental postgraduate students of all specialties of Dentistry in Vidarbha region of Maharashtra. Approximately 250 students participated in the study, in an effort to examine their perception about a healthy lifestyle and its effect on their health. Information was collected via a lifestyle questionnaire2 . The questionnaire was a dichotomous type with YES/ NO as the options. Post graduate students were asked to elaborate on their balanced diet and exercise preferences and the replies were noted but they were not mandatory. It consisted of 10 question that helped in exploring the various lifestyle factors. A google form of the questionnaire was created and it was sent to dental post graduates students of various dental colleges in Vidarbha region. The questionnaire was sent to the students through various online medium available such as E MAIL, whatsapp, whatsapp groups. The data received was statistically analyzed.
Two hundred and fifty dental post graduate
students from various dental colleges in Vidarbha
region completed the questionnaire. A 100 per cent
response rate of which 67.3 per cent were female
and 32.7 percent were male. The students age
ranged from 25 years to 30 years. In response to
the questions concerning, the perception of college
students regarding healthy lifestyle, the results of
the study illustrate that, the majority of the college
students, conduct a not so healthy lifestyle.
Of all the participants (27%) admitted that they
have 7-9 hours of sleep everyday (Pie Diagram 1).
During their routine college life 38% agreed that
they have balanced diet everyday (Pie Diagram 2)
which comprised of a healthy breakfast followed
by a good lunch comprised of chapatti, rice, lentils,
vegetables and salads which adds to the fibres in
the food followed by a snack and a good dinner. Of
the 250 students only 41 % exercise regularly (Pie Diagram 3)and mostly their exercise consisted of
gyming, cycling and yoga meditation for some. Of
all the students 76% student suffered from increase
body weight (Pie Diagram 4). Mostly the final year
students suffered from increase in weight due to
much change in their lifestyle to sedentary as they
are preparing for their exams and also stress adds
to change in weight. Many students also suffered
from decrease in weight as due to busy schedules
students most of the times skip meals and have
improper eating cycles. 85% students agreed that
they drink eight to nine glasses of water per day
(Pie Diagram 5). 92% students feel depressed and
anxious in their life (Pie Diagram 6) as studying in
medial field can lead to a monotonous life where
one have to dedicate their time completely to
their work and patients which can lead to lack of social life in one’s life which lead to 65% students
agreeing that they feel irritated and sometimes
angry in their life (Pie Diagram 7). 63% students
agreed on having habits of smoking and alcohol
consumption (Pie Diagram 8) and 88% (Pie
Diagram 9) of the students wanted to quit these
habitsas they understand that smoking and alcohol
consumption are addictive habits and have a toll
on their life but inspite of all this 64% (Pie Diagram
10) of students were happy and satisfied in their
PG curriculum as they were serving their dream
of working as a Doctor and learning through their
experiences.
Health is a state of being free from any kind of
illness. A healthy lifestyle is very imperative for a healthy mind and a healthy body. There are several
factors in a person’s lifestyle that can make them
healthy or unhealthy. Basic diet, nutrition, sound
sleep and exercise aids a person in many different
ways1
. Eating the correct amount of nutrients is
essential for the body’s proper functioning. Basic
nutrition is the fuel that a body needs to operate.
Majority of college going students are of young age
and often ignore the importance of healthy lifestyle.
However, nowadays as awareness amongst people
is increasing students are also resorting to and
trying to incorporate ways to stay healthy in their
busy routines and schedules.
When students enter college, their diets deteriorate
and they gain or lose weight. Meals are often
skipped by college students, and management
of weight and food intake is often nonexistent or
disordered. Class and work schedules change
daily as well as every semester having a toll on
their diet as well as disrupting their sleep cycle.
Several factors can be taken to avoid the weight
gain and decline in diet quality that may occur
during the college years. The results of the study
showed that few of the dental post graduates
students conduct a healthy lifestyle. It was found
that a high percentage of the students are unaware
about the importance of taking balanced diet,
proper sleep and proper exercise in their day to day
life. College students do not take into account the seriousness of their health behaviors, Budd et al.
The study shows that a high percentage of the
students, do not exercise frequently, and suffer
from increased body weight (obesity). The human
body needs to move; the many benefits of exercise
prove that the act of fitness is more than just losing
weight. Exercise builds confidence, reduce and
relieve stress, improve learning and mental health,
and can build healthy relationships around with
common interests in well-being.
The study illustrates that most college students
do not care about drinking water time to time,
which may cause dehydration and may effect their
kidney function in the long run, and may cause
other health problems associated with it.
Also while carrying out their stressful schedules
students often engage into habits such as smoking
and alcohol drinking that may deteriorate their
health further also leading to unwanted addictions
which will be hard to get rid of in the future.
Although they know about the ill effects of these
habits but still engages in their addictions.
The outcome of this study is of great concern to
dental students health. Very fewpost graduate
students attending Dental college, conduct
a healthy lifestyle, which will affect their healthadversely in the future; therefore, it is vital
that additional in-depth research is conducted
on college student’s healthy lifestyle factors, and
to extend the study to the other colleges and
universities.
We conclude from this study that a high percentage
of the post graduates students in dental colleges
of Vidarbha region are not aware about the
results of unhealthy behavior, which may cause
different health problems. Although few students
are engaging towards modern healthy lifestyles
such as gyming and exercises in the gyms and
clubs and making it imperative to add various diet
into their day to day life but they are few and more
studies like these are necessary so that students
are more aware and more learned.