HEALTH PROMOTING LIFESTYLES AMONG UNDERGRADUATES OF UNIVERSITY OF UYO, AKWAIBOM STATE

Abstract

Health promoting lifestyle is an important prerequisite for attaining optimal health.
University period is one of the critical periods in one’s lifespan when the individual
gradually assumes responsibilities for his/her self and majority of an individual’s
lifestyle is formed/modified during this period which positively or negatively affects
health. Considering the high cost of healthcare, it is therefore paramount to shift from
curative to preventive approach which requires healthy lifestyles among individuals
especially the youths. This study evaluated the health-promoting lifestyle of
undergraduate of University of Uyo, Akwa Ibom state. The descriptive survey research
design was used for the study. The population for the study comprised all undergraduate
students of University of Uyo. A multi-stage sampling procedure was adopted, in which a
total sample size of 450 students were selected using convenience sampling technique. A
52-item Health-promoting lifestyle profile II with a reliability coefficient of 0.94 was
used as instrument for data collection. Data were analysed using percentages, mean,
independent t-test and ANOVA at 0.05 level of significance. Findings from the study
revealed that, the health-promoting lifestyle of undergraduate students of University of
Uyo was above average (67.30%) based on the lifestyle mean score, the difference in
health-promoting lifestyle between male and female undergraduate students, as well as
among the different age groups of students, was significant. It was therefore,
recommended, among others, that health education and health promotion programmes
with emphasis on health-promoting lifestyle, should be intensified in the University of
Uyo community through seminars, workshops and symposiums. This will help create
more awareness on the need to develop healthy lifestyles and reduce risky health
behaviours among undergraduate students.