Savage Matthew J, Procter Eleanor L, Magistro Daniele, Hennis Philip J, Donaldson James, Leslie-Walker Anika, Jones Bethany A, James Ruth M
SHAPE Research Group, School of Science and Technology, Nottingham Trent University, Nottingham, UK.
Diabetes Research Centre, University of Leicester, Leicester, UK.
BMC Public Health. 2024 Dec 18;24(1):3501. doi: 10.1186/s12889-024-20911-0.
Health-related outcomes and behaviours in university students are known to be poor relative to the general population. The substantial contextual shifts related to the COVID-19 pandemic, combined with increased numbers of students from minoritised ethnicity backgrounds and presenting as trans and gender diverse (TGD), means that up-to-date information is unavailable. The primary aim of this study was therefore to characterise the current movement, dietary and lifestyle behaviours, mental health, and Body Mass Index (BMI) of UK university students and assess differences between genders and ethnic groups.
An online, self-report survey was administered across three years (2021-2023). Three independent cohorts of university students' (n = 6,327) completed the survey on four key topic areas. One-way ANOVAs were used to assess differences between genders (men, women, TGD), and independent samples t-tests were used to assess differences between ethnic groups (White, Minoritised Ethnicity).
30% of students were not meeting physical activity guidelines, 54% were sedentary for ≥ 6 h·d, 83% had poor diet quality, 51% were in high or increased risk groups for alcohol consumption, 18% experienced terrible or poor sleep quality, and 32% were overweight or obese. Gender differences were present for all variables other than walking physical activity (WPA) (P < 0.05), with men having better mental health and engaging in healthier movement and sleeping behaviours, whereas women had more healthful dietary and drinking behaviours, and TGD students had poorer outcomes compared to cis-gender students in most domains. Differences between White and minoritised ethnicity students were present for all variables other than sedentary behaviour, diet quality, WPA and BMI (P < 0.05); students of minoritised ethnicity engaged in better movement, drinking and sleep behaviours in addition to having more positive mental health than White students.
The findings of the current study provide an update on the landscape of UK university students' health and health-related behaviours. Overall, health-related outcomes and behaviours are poor in this population and these data suggest that gender and ethnicity play a role in determining students' health and health-related behaviours. Therefore, these factors should be considered when developing strategies to promote healthy living in the context of higher education.
相对于普通人群，大学生的健康相关结果和行为状况不佳。与新冠疫情相关的重大环境变化，再加上来自少数族裔背景以及表现为跨性别和性别多样化（TGD）的学生数量增加，意味着缺乏最新信息。因此，本研究的主要目的是描述英国大学生当前的运动、饮食和生活方式行为、心理健康以及体重指数（BMI），并评估性别和种族群体之间的差异。
在三年（2021 - 2023年）期间进行了一项在线自我报告调查。三个独立的大学生队列（n = 6327）完成了关于四个关键主题领域的调查。单因素方差分析用于评估性别（男性、女性、TGD）之间的差异，独立样本t检验用于评估种族群体（白人、少数族裔）之间的差异。
30%的学生未达到身体活动指南要求，54%的学生久坐时间≥6小时/天，83% 的学生饮食质量差，51%的学生属于高酒精消费风险或酒精消费风险增加群体，18%的学生睡眠质量极差或较差，32%的学生超重或肥胖。除步行身体活动（WPA）外，所有变量均存在性别差异（P < 0.05），男性心理健康状况更好，运动和睡眠行为更健康，而女性饮食和饮酒行为更健康，并且在大多数领域，TGD学生与顺性别学生相比结果更差。白人学生和少数族裔学生之间在除久坐行为、饮食质量、WPA和BMI之外的所有变量上均存在差异（P < 0.05）；少数族裔学生除了心理健康比白人学生更积极外，运动、饮酒和睡眠行为也更好。
本研究结果提供了英国大学生健康及健康相关行为状况的最新情况。总体而言，该人群的健康相关结果和行为不佳，这些数据表明性别和种族在决定学生的健康及健康相关行为方面发挥作用。因此，在制定促进高等教育背景下健康生活的策略时应考虑这些因素。
