Thirty-year trends in university students’ lifestyle and quality of life

Material and methods. Questionnaire survey for the estimation of the Quality of life was done in 796 students. 419 students of Arkhangelsk State Medical Institute were tested in 1979-1984, including 205 males and 214 females with an average age of 22.2; 203 students of higher educational institutions of Severodvinsk in 1998-2005 including 85 males and 118 females with average age of 18.7; 173 students of M.V. Lomonosov Northern (Arctic) Federal University (Arkhangelsk and Severodvinsk) including 85 males and 88 females with average age of 19.5. Meaningfulness of differences in studied indices is calculated using Fisher’s exact test.

Results. The decline in quality of life and lifestyle indices (dissatisfaction with living conditions, food quality, summer holidays) in 1998-2005 is shown in comparison to 1979-1984 period; in 2014-2015 they significantly increased. Nevertheless, no more than half of the respondents (45%-34%-53%) characterize their diet as adequate and regular. Increase in adherence to healthy lifestyle in modern students is noted: relatively large amount of them regularly takes exercises (10%-13%-39%), toughens up (8%-4%-9%), swim a lot in natural bodies of water (20%-15%-23%), never consume alcohol (12% -13% -35% of males 30%-5%-30% of females). However the proportion of smoking students has increased compared to the first stage of research (57%-70%-65% of males and 6%-75%-53% of females), and the proportion of those toughening themselves up regularly doesn’t exceed 9%. An increase in the number of students with no chronic diseases is shown. More students have complaints about precardialgia while complaints about gastrointestinal dysfunction and headaches became less frequent. Majority of the students are satisfied with their lives. Almost half of the respondents noted good mood as a predominant one.