title: Factors predicting nutrition and physical activity behaviors due to cardiovascular disease in tehran university students: application of health belief model.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Disease preventing methods focus mostly on lifestyle factors such as physical activity, healthy diet and not smoking. Previous studies verified using theory and models to change unhealthy behaviors, so that health belief model (HBM) is a useful framework for describing the healthy nutrition behavior.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  This study aimed to predict factors related to unhealthy nutrition and inactive life in students of Tehran University, Tehran, Iran based on the Health Belief Model (HBM).
  
  
  METHODS
  In this cross sectional study, proportional quota sampling from three different educational levels was conducted from October to December 2012. A self-administered validated instrument based on the Health Belief Model (HBM) with 69 items and four sections was used to collect data. In this study through using linear and logistic regression, the effect of body mass index, age, gender, marriage, self-efficacy, cues to action, knowledge, perceived severity, susceptibility, benefits and barriers on nutrition and physical activity behavior were assessed. SPSS version 18 was used to analyze data.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Totally, 368 students including 318 female students (86.4%) and 50 male students (13.6%) with a mean age of 24.9 years (SD = 4.55) took part in the study. Among all independent variables, gender (P < 0.001), knowledge (P = 0.023) and perceived barriers (P = 0.004) predicted nutrition behavior. In case of physical activity, knowledge (P = 0.011), perceived severity (P = 0.009), perceived barriers (P = 0.019) and self-efficacy (P = 0.033) had significance association with physical activity behavior.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  This study indicated that health belief model contrasts could predict the risky behavior of university students due to heart disease. However, more researches are needed to verify the predictors of high risky behaviors in students.
authors.affiliation: Health Research Center, Baqiyatallah University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, IR Iran.
authors.forename: Fatemeh
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Rahmati-Najarkolaei
authors.affiliation: Department of Health Educations, Faculty of Medical Sciences, Tarbiat Modaress University, Tehran, IR Iran.
authors.forename: Sedigheh Sadat
authors.initials: SS
authors.lastname: Tavafian
authors.affiliation: Biostatistics Department, Faculty of Medical Sciences, Tarbiat Modares University, Tehran, IR Iran.
authors.forename: Mohammad
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Gholami Fesharaki
authors.affiliation: Department Of Psychology,College of Humanitiec saveh Science and Research Branch Islamic Azad University Saveh, IR Iran.
authors.forename: Mohammad Reza
authors.initials: MR
authors.lastname: Jafari
keywords: Behavior; Health Belief Model; Heart Disease; Physical Activity