Barriers to Healthy Lifestyle among College-Going Students in a Selected College in Bengaluru Urban District

CONTEXT: Cardiovascular diseases (CVDs) are influenced by factors acting at all stages of life. Healthy lifestyle practices among adolescents and youth are crucial in preventing CVDs in the later years. Many barriers prevent young people from practicing healthy lifestyles. AIMS: The aim of this study is to identify barriers to healthy lifestyle among college-going students in Bengaluru Urban District. SETTINGS AND DESIGN: A cross-sectional study was conducted among 722 students aged 15–25 years, in a degree college in Bengaluru Urban district. SUBJECTS AND METHODS: A structured interview schedule with good internal consistency (Cronbach's alpha = 0.887), consisting of 50 questions scored on a 5-point Likert scale with five domains (diet, physical activity, tobacco use, alcohol consumption, and stress) was administered. The total score was classified into high-, moderate-, and low-barrier categories using percentiles. The barrier score for each domain and for each individual question was computed by multiplying the weight of the responses by their frequencies. STATISTICAL ANALYSIS USED: Barriers to healthy lifestyle and its association with sociodemographic variables were analyzed using inferential statistics such as t-test and ANOVA. Significant factors were entered into a multiple linear regression model. RESULTS: The domain of stress emerged as the topmost barrier followed by diet. The main factors responsible for stress among college students were examinations (74.9%), long hours of the study (71.1%), and lack of time (69.6%). CONCLUSIONS: Barriers to healthy lifestyle are common among adolescents and youth. The topmost barriers identified were stress- and diet-related barriers.