HEALTHY LIFESTYLE BEHAVIORS AND RELATED FACTORS OF FACULTY OF MEDICINE STUDENTS: OBSERVATIONAL STUDY

Objective: In this study, it was aimed to determine healthy lifestyle behaviors and affecting factors of the second year students of Dokuz Eylül University Faculty of Medicine.Material and Method: The study design was cross-sectional. The study group consisted of Dokuz Eylul University Faculty of Medicine second year students. The data were collected with a questionnaire designed to determine students' sociodemographic characteristics, family history, some habits and lifestyle behaviors. Results: Nineteen percent of the students stated that they continued to smoke. 5.4% stated that they quit smoking. Compared to females, males were more likely to smoke. Protein-containing nutrition habits were more common among males, while chocolate-based products, salty products and coffee consumption habits were more common among females. Students with very good-good health perception were more likely to have a healthy diet. Compared to females, males were more likely to perform physical activity regularly. High perception of economic situation, high health perception in the students and parents having a higher level of education increased the health responsibility behaviors in the students. Conclusion: About half of the students did not have a healthy and balanced diet. Health responsibility behavior habits were more common among females. High level of education and economic status of the family affected the health responsibility of the student positively. In the first years of medical education, conferences and seminars on the importance of healthy lifestyle habits can be planned. It should be monitored whether these trainings constitute permanent behavioral change