title: Behavior Risk Factors Among Russian University Students Majoring in Medicine, Education, and Exercise Science.
abstract: Purpose To analyze the prevalence of select behavioral risk factors among Russian university students majoring in medicine, education, and exercise science. Methods A total of 834 students from five Federal universities located in four federal regions of Russia were included in the study. The purposive sample included future doctors, school teachers, and fitness trainers. Students were asked specifically about smoking, level of physical activity, and food preferences. To calculate body mass indices (BMIs), waist, hip, weight, and height were also measured. Results Smoking rates, level of activity, and nutritional habits were significantly different by age, but BMI was not. Smoking rates and BMI were significantly different by gender, but level of activity and nutritional habits were not. Like the differences found by age, smoking rates, level of activity, and nutritional habits were significantly different by ethnicity, but BMI was not. There were significant difference across all behavioral health risk factors by region. The results show significantly higher levels of physical inactivity, consumption of unhealthy foods, and high BMIs among medical students compared with future teachers and wellness instructors ( p < .05). In the same time, the smoking levels are the highest among future teachers. The highest prevalence of smoking was found to be associated with gender (for females living Moscow and for males in rural regions), and Russian ethnic group. Conclusion Tailored programs to prevent common health behavior risk factors among future medical doctors are urgently needed in the Russian Federation.
authors.affiliation: 1 Moscow State University of Medicine and Dentistry, Russian Federation.
authors.forename: Aleksander
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Anischenko
authors.affiliation: 1 Moscow State University of Medicine and Dentistry, Russian Federation.
authors.forename: Konstantin
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Gurevich
authors.affiliation: 1 Moscow State University of Medicine and Dentistry, Russian Federation.
authors.forename: Anna
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Arhangelskaya
authors.affiliation: 1 Moscow State University of Medicine and Dentistry, Russian Federation.
authors.forename: Michael
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Klenov
authors.affiliation: 1 Moscow State University of Medicine and Dentistry, Russian Federation.
authors.forename: Ekaterina
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Burdukova
authors.affiliation: 1 Moscow State University of Medicine and Dentistry, Russian Federation.
authors.forename: Valrii
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Ogarev
authors.affiliation: 1 Moscow State University of Medicine and Dentistry, Russian Federation.|2 Training and methodological site for the introduction of new educational technologies, CHAPOO Pharmaceutical College 'New knowledge'.
authors.forename: Nikolay
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Ignatov
authors.affiliation: 1 Moscow State University of Medicine and Dentistry, Russian Federation.|3 Moscow State University of Medicine and Dentistry, Russian Federation.
authors.forename: Irina
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Osadchenko
keywords: Russian federation; behavioral risk factors; obesity; students