Healthy lifestyle behaviors among Omani undergraduates: a cross-sectional study

It is strongly believed that healthy lifestyle behaviors improve health and decrease the risk of major health problems. Health-promoting lifestyle behaviors and their contributing factors among students at Sultan Qaboos University (SQU) have not been well-investigated yet. This study aims to explore the levels of health-promotion behaviors among senior undergraduates at SQU, compare potential differences between college type and gender, and then explore possible predictors. Using a cross-sectional descriptive design, a sample of 244 students at SQU were recruited, and data was collected using the Health-Promoting Lifestyle Profile II (HPLPII). Overall health promotion mean score +/- SD for the sample was slightly moderate (2.58 +/- 0.42), whereas the impact of discipline in education on the practice of health-promoting behavior was significant. Nursing students remarkably scored higher than non-nursing students (p = 0.005) in terms of health responsibility and nutrition (p = 0.005 and 0.006) respectively, whereas there was no significant difference in overall health-promoting lifestyles between males and females (p = 0.18). Females scored better than males in interpersonal relations (p = 0.006), while males scored considerably better than females in the physical activity domain (p = 0.03). Furthermore, a bivariate analysis of potential predictors of the total health promotion behavior score, followed by a multivariate model analysis has revealed that college type was the only predictor. Nursing education positively influences health-promotion behaviors and encourages nursing students to increase their health responsibility and practice healthier dietary habits. Additionally, it is recommended for the teaching institution administrators and educators to develop health promotion courses for non-health-related discipline students.