Yong Loo Lin School of Medicine, National University of Singapore and National University Health System, 1E Kent Ridge Road, NUHS Tower Block Level 11, Singapore, 119228, Singapore.
Saw Swee Hock School of Public Health, National University of Singapore and National University Health System, 12 Science Drive 2, #10-01, Singapore, 117549, Singapore.
BMC Public Health. 2021 Aug 30;21(1):1601. doi: 10.1186/s12889-021-11628-5.
National health campaigns are often used to improve lifestyle behaviors in the general population. However, evidence specifically in the young adult population is scarce. Given the general deterioration of healthy lifestyle practices from adolescence to young adulthood, it is imperative to study this age group. This study aimed to investigate the behavioral impact of a national health campaign in Singapore on the lifestyle practices of young adults, and whether sex or full-time working and schooling status affected lifestyle practices.
A total of 594 Singaporean respondents aged 18-39 years old were interviewed via a cross-sectional study in December 2019. Lifestyle practices assessed were diet, exercise, alcohol consumption, current tobacco use, and participation in health screening programs. Other factors investigated included exposure to the national health campaign "War on Diabetes" (WoD), sex, ethnicity, and working/schooling status. Multivariable modified Breslow-Cox proportional hazards models were used to estimate prevalence risk ratios (PRRs) as measures for the associations in this study, after adjusting for potential confounders.
Exposure to the WoD campaign had a significant association with meeting dietary recommendations (PRR = 1.6, 95% CI: 1.0-2.5, p = 0.037), participation in screening (PRR = 1.2, 95% CI: 1.0-1.5, p = 0.028), and current tobacco use (PRR = 0.5, 95% CI: 0.3-0.8, p = 0.003). Males were significantly more likely to meet exercise recommendations (PRR = 2.0, 95% CI: 1.5-2.7, p < 0.001), currently use tobacco (PRR = 3.9, 95% CI: 2.2-6.9, p < 0.001), and consume alcohol excessively (PRR = 1.5, 95% CI: 1.0-2.3, p = 0.046), as compared to females. Working young adults were significantly less likely to meet exercise recommendations (PRR = 0.7, 95% CI: 0.5-0.9, p = 0.019) but significantly more likely to be current tobacco users (PRR = 1.8, 95% CI: 1.1-3.1, p = 0.024), as compared to those who were in school.
While this paper affirms that national health campaigns have significant beneficial associations in diet, health screenings and current tobacco use, policymakers should acknowledge that young adults are an age group with different influences that impact their healthy lifestyle habits. Specific interventions that target these subgroups may be required for better health outcomes. Future studies should evaluate other socio-environmental factors that could play a role in modifying the effect of health campaigns among young adults.
国家健康运动通常用于改善普通人群的生活方式行为。然而，专门针对年轻成年人的证据却很少。鉴于从青春期到成年早期健康生活方式实践的普遍恶化，研究这个年龄组至关重要。本研究旨在调查新加坡国家健康运动对年轻成年人生活方式实践的行为影响，以及性别或全职工作和学业状况是否影响生活方式实践。
2019 年 12 月，通过横断面研究对 594 名年龄在 18-39 岁的新加坡受访者进行了访谈。评估的生活方式实践包括饮食、运动、饮酒、当前吸烟和参加健康筛查计划。调查的其他因素包括接触国家健康运动“糖尿病战争”（WoD）、性别、种族以及工作/学业状况。多变量修正 Breslow-Cox 比例风险模型用于估计患病率风险比（PRR）作为本研究关联的衡量标准，在调整潜在混杂因素后。
接触 WoD 运动与符合饮食建议（PRR=1.6，95%CI：1.0-2.5，p=0.037）、参与筛查（PRR=1.2，95%CI：1.0-1.5，p=0.028）和当前吸烟（PRR=0.5，95%CI：0.3-0.8，p=0.003）显著相关。男性更有可能符合运动建议（PRR=2.0，95%CI：1.5-2.7，p<0.001）、目前吸烟（PRR=3.9，95%CI：2.2-6.9，p<0.001）和过度饮酒（PRR=1.5，95%CI：1.0-2.3，p=0.046），与女性相比。与在校相比，工作的年轻成年人不太可能符合运动建议（PRR=0.7，95%CI：0.5-0.9，p=0.019），但更有可能成为当前吸烟者（PRR=1.8，95%CI：1.1-3.1，p=0.024）。
虽然本文证实国家健康运动在饮食、健康筛查和当前吸烟方面具有显著的有益关联，但政策制定者应认识到，年轻成年人是一个具有不同影响的年龄组，这些影响会影响他们的健康生活习惯。可能需要针对这些亚组的特定干预措施，以实现更好的健康结果。未来的研究应该评估其他社会环境因素，这些因素可能会影响健康运动对年轻成年人的影响。
