title: Lifestyle choices and mental health: a representative population survey.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Identifying healthy lifestyle behaviours that promote psychological wellbeing is crucial to preventing mental disorders. The aim of the current study was to evaluate the individual and combined associations between different aspects of everyday life and mental health within a representative community sample in Germany.
  
  
  METHODS
  The study was conducted in 2012/2013 and included 7,937 participants representative of the German population. Lifestyle factors were assessed via self-report and included frequency of physical and mental activity, alcohol consumption, smoking, body mass index as well as circadian and social regularity. Outcome variables were depression, anxiety, stress and satisfaction with life.
  
  
  RESULTS
  All lifestyle factors were associated with the mental health outcomes. Better mental health was linked to higher frequency of physical and mental activity, moderate alcohol consumption (i.e. not increased or no alcohol consumption), non-smoking, a body mass index within the range of normal to overweight (i.e. not underweight or obese) and a regular life rhythm. The more healthy lifestyle choices an individual makes, the higher life satisfaction and lower psychological distress he or she tends to have.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The current study underlines the importance of healthy lifestyle choices in respect to psychological wellbeing.
authors: Faculty of Psychology, Department of Clinical Psychology and Psychotherapy, Mental Health Research and Treatment Center, Ruhr-Universität Bochum, Massenbergstrasse 9-13, D-44787 Bochum, Germany.
authors: Julia
authors: J
authors: Velten
authors: Faculty of Psychology, Department of Clinical Psychology and Psychotherapy, Mental Health Research and Treatment Center, Ruhr-Universität Bochum, Massenbergstrasse 9-13, D-44787 Bochum, Germany ; Department of Psychology, University of Basel, Basel, Switzerland.
authors: Kristen L
authors: KL
authors: Lavallee
authors: Faculty of Psychology, Department of Clinical Psychology and Psychotherapy, Mental Health Research and Treatment Center, Ruhr-Universität Bochum, Massenbergstrasse 9-13, D-44787 Bochum, Germany.
authors: Saskia
authors: S
authors: Scholten
authors: Department of Psychology, University of Basel, Basel, Switzerland.
authors: Andrea Hans
authors: AH
authors: Meyer
authors: Faculty of Psychology, Department of Clinical Psychology and Psychotherapy, Mental Health Research and Treatment Center, Ruhr-Universität Bochum, Massenbergstrasse 9-13, D-44787 Bochum, Germany.
authors: Xiao-Chi
authors: XC
authors: Zhang
authors: Faculty of Psychology, Department of Clinical Psychology and Psychotherapy, Mental Health Research and Treatment Center, Ruhr-Universität Bochum, Massenbergstrasse 9-13, D-44787 Bochum, Germany.
authors: Silvia
authors: S
authors: Schneider
authors: Faculty of Psychology, Department of Clinical Psychology and Psychotherapy, Mental Health Research and Treatment Center, Ruhr-Universität Bochum, Massenbergstrasse 9-13, D-44787 Bochum, Germany.
authors: Jürgen
authors: J
authors: Margraf
keywords: Alcohol; Anxiety; Depression; Lifestyle; Mental health; Obesity; Physical activity; Smoking
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