Combined healthy behaviors and cardiometabolic risk in university students: a biomarker-based cross-sectional study
Background Unfavorable lifestyle behaviors commonly cluster during university life, yet their combined association with continuous cardiometabolic risk (CMR) remains insufficiently characterized in university populations. Objective To evaluate the association between the accumulation of healthy beha...
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| Lenguaje: | inglés |
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2026
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| author | Jacksaint Saintila Norma Del Carmen Gálvez-Díaz Luz Antonia Barreto-Espinoza Elmer López-López Isabel Graciela Lizárraga de Maguiña Giovanna Larraín Távara Fátima del Carmen Bernal-Corrales Susan Míriam Oblitas-Guerrero |
| author_browse | Elmer López-López Fátima del Carmen Bernal-Corrales Giovanna Larraín Távara Isabel Graciela Lizárraga de Maguiña Jacksaint Saintila Luz Antonia Barreto-Espinoza Norma Del Carmen Gálvez-Díaz Susan Míriam Oblitas-Guerrero |
| author_facet | Jacksaint Saintila Norma Del Carmen Gálvez-Díaz Luz Antonia Barreto-Espinoza Elmer López-López Isabel Graciela Lizárraga de Maguiña Giovanna Larraín Távara Fátima del Carmen Bernal-Corrales Susan Míriam Oblitas-Guerrero |
| author_sort | Jacksaint Saintila |
| collection | Producción científica |
| description | Background Unfavorable lifestyle behaviors commonly cluster during university life, yet their combined association with continuous cardiometabolic risk (CMR) remains insufficiently characterized in university populations. Objective To evaluate the association between the accumulation of healthy behaviors and CMR in university students. Methods A cross-sectional study using convenience sampling was conducted among 307 students at a private university in Chiclayo, northern Peru. Five self-reported behaviors were assessed: regular breakfast consumption, physical activity ≥ 3 times/week, fruit intake ≥ 2 servings/day, vegetable intake ≥ 2 servings/day, and sleep duration of 7–9 h. A Healthy Lifestyle Behavior Index (0–100) was constructed by rescaling each of the five behaviors from 0 to 1. The component scores were averaged and multiplied by 100; a separate favorable behavior count (0–5) was also calculated. The CMR score integrated waist circumference (WC), mean arterial pressure, glucose, ln-triglycerides, and HDL-cholesterol, standardized by sex. Associations were estimated using linear regression models with HC3 robust standard errors and adjusted for sociodemographic variables. Results Overall, 25.7% of participants exhibited 0–1 favorable behaviors, 51.1% exhibited 2–3, and 23.1% exhibited 4–5. Each 10-point increase in the healthy behavior index was associated with a reduction of 0.127 standard deviations (SD) in the CMR score ( β = − 0.127 ; 95% CI: − 0.179 to − 0.075 ; p < 0.001 ). Compared to the group with 4–5 behaviors, the groups with 2–3 and 0–1 behaviors had higher risk scores ( β = 0.267 ; 95% CI: 0.017 to 0.516 ; and β = 0.682 ; 95% CI: 0.395 to 0.968 , respectively). Conclusion A greater accumulation of healthy lifestyle behaviors was associated with a more favorable cardiometabolic profile in university students; given the cross-sectional design, these findings should not be interpreted causally. |
| format | Article |
| id | openalex:W7225615306 |
| institution | UPeU |
| language | English |
| publishDate | 2026 |
| publishDateRange | 2026 |
| publishDateSort | 2026 |
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| spelling | openalex:W7225615306Combined healthy behaviors and cardiometabolic risk in university students: a biomarker-based cross-sectional studyJacksaint SaintilaNorma Del Carmen Gálvez-DíazLuz Antonia Barreto-EspinozaElmer López-LópezIsabel Graciela Lizárraga de MaguiñaGiovanna Larraín TávaraFátima del Carmen Bernal-CorralesSusan Míriam Oblitas-Guerrerohealthy lifestyle behaviorscardiometabolic riskuniversity studentsbreakfast consumptionphysical activityfruit and vegetable intakesleep durationwaist circumferencemean arterial pressuretriglyceridesHDL cholesterolHealth and Lifestyle StudiesCardiovascular Health and Risk FactorsHealth and Wellbeing ResearchBackground Unfavorable lifestyle behaviors commonly cluster during university life, yet their combined association with continuous cardiometabolic risk (CMR) remains insufficiently characterized in university populations. Objective To evaluate the association between the accumulation of healthy behaviors and CMR in university students. Methods A cross-sectional study using convenience sampling was conducted among 307 students at a private university in Chiclayo, northern Peru. Five self-reported behaviors were assessed: regular breakfast consumption, physical activity ≥ 3 times/week, fruit intake ≥ 2 servings/day, vegetable intake ≥ 2 servings/day, and sleep duration of 7–9 h. A Healthy Lifestyle Behavior Index (0–100) was constructed by rescaling each of the five behaviors from 0 to 1. The component scores were averaged and multiplied by 100; a separate favorable behavior count (0–5) was also calculated. The CMR score integrated waist circumference (WC), mean arterial pressure, glucose, ln-triglycerides, and HDL-cholesterol, standardized by sex. Associations were estimated using linear regression models with HC3 robust standard errors and adjusted for sociodemographic variables. Results Overall, 25.7% of participants exhibited 0–1 favorable behaviors, 51.1% exhibited 2–3, and 23.1% exhibited 4–5. Each 10-point increase in the healthy behavior index was associated with a reduction of 0.127 standard deviations (SD) in the CMR score ( β = − 0.127 ; 95% CI: − 0.179 to − 0.075 ; p < 0.001 ). Compared to the group with 4–5 behaviors, the groups with 2–3 and 0–1 behaviors had higher risk scores ( β = 0.267 ; 95% CI: 0.017 to 0.516 ; and β = 0.682 ; 95% CI: 0.395 to 0.968 , respectively). Conclusion A greater accumulation of healthy lifestyle behaviors was associated with a more favorable cardiometabolic profile in university students; given the cross-sectional design, these findings should not be interpreted causally.Articlehttps://doi.org/10.3389/fpubh.2026.1980609https://www.frontiersin.org/journals/public-health/articles/10.3389/fpubh.2026.1980609/pdfW7225615306enFrontiers in Public Health2296-25652026-11-09 |
| spellingShingle | healthy lifestyle behaviors cardiometabolic risk university students breakfast consumption physical activity fruit and vegetable intake sleep duration waist circumference mean arterial pressure triglycerides HDL cholesterol Health and Lifestyle Studies Cardiovascular Health and Risk Factors Health and Wellbeing Research Jacksaint Saintila Norma Del Carmen Gálvez-Díaz Luz Antonia Barreto-Espinoza Elmer López-López Isabel Graciela Lizárraga de Maguiña Giovanna Larraín Távara Fátima del Carmen Bernal-Corrales Susan Míriam Oblitas-Guerrero Combined healthy behaviors and cardiometabolic risk in university students: a biomarker-based cross-sectional study |
| title | Combined healthy behaviors and cardiometabolic risk in university students: a biomarker-based cross-sectional study |
| title_full | Combined healthy behaviors and cardiometabolic risk in university students: a biomarker-based cross-sectional study |
| title_fullStr | Combined healthy behaviors and cardiometabolic risk in university students: a biomarker-based cross-sectional study |
| title_full_unstemmed | Combined healthy behaviors and cardiometabolic risk in university students: a biomarker-based cross-sectional study |
| title_short | Combined healthy behaviors and cardiometabolic risk in university students: a biomarker-based cross-sectional study |
| title_sort | combined healthy behaviors and cardiometabolic risk in university students a biomarker based cross sectional study |
| topic | healthy lifestyle behaviors cardiometabolic risk university students breakfast consumption physical activity fruit and vegetable intake sleep duration waist circumference mean arterial pressure triglycerides HDL cholesterol Health and Lifestyle Studies Cardiovascular Health and Risk Factors Health and Wellbeing Research |
| topic_facet | healthy lifestyle behaviors cardiometabolic risk university students breakfast consumption physical activity fruit and vegetable intake sleep duration waist circumference mean arterial pressure triglycerides HDL cholesterol Health and Lifestyle Studies Cardiovascular Health and Risk Factors Health and Wellbeing Research |
| url | https://doi.org/10.3389/fpubh.2026.1980609 https://www.frontiersin.org/journals/public-health/articles/10.3389/fpubh.2026.1980609/pdf |
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