Differences in lifestyle between students of medical and biological fields of study in Poland

Joanna Nieczuja-Dwojacka; Beata Borowska; Justyna Marchewka-Długońska; Alicja Budnik; Paweł Dąbrowski; Bożena Kurc-Darak; Joanna Grzelak

doi:10.18778/1898-6773.85.4.08

Authors

Joanna Nieczuja-Dwojacka Cardinal Stefan Wyszynski University in Warsaw, Faculty of Biology and Environmental Sciences, Institute of Biological Sciences, Warsaw, Poland
Beata Borowska University of Lodz, Faculty of Biology and Environmental Protection, Department of Anthropology, Lodz, Poland
Justyna Marchewka-Długońska Cardinal Stefan Wyszynski University in Warsaw, Faculty of Biology and Environmental Sciences, Institute of Biological Sciences, Warsaw, Poland
Alicja Budnik Cardinal Stefan Wyszynski University in Warsaw, Faculty of Biology and Environmental Sciences, Institute of Biological Sciences, Warsaw, Poland
Paweł Dąbrowski Wroclaw Medical University, Department of Anatomy, Department of Human Morphology and Embryology, Wroclaw, Poland
Bożena Kurc-Darak Wroclaw Medical University, Department of Anatomy, Department of Human Morphology and Embryology, Wroclaw, Poland
Joanna Grzelak Wroclaw Medical University, Department of Anatomy, Department of Human Morphology and Embryology, Wroclaw, Poland

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.18778/1898-6773.85.4.08

Keywords:

university students, alcohol, lifestyle, habits

Abstract

Students are a specific social group characterized by different lifestyle behaviours.

The aim of the study was to determine whether there are lifestyle differences between students of medical and biological fields from three different universities in Poland.

The research material consisted of answers from 1163 students (781 women and 382 men), aged 17.5– 26.0 from the medical faculty of the Wroclaw Medical University, biological faculties of the Cardinal Stefan Wyszynski University in Warsaw and the University of Lodz. The survey included questions regarding gender, socio-demographic situation, lifestyle and eating habits. Students also provided height and weight data, which was used for BMI calculation. Chi-square test and one-way ANOVA were used to indicate differences in BMI between students and to estimate differences in lifestyle between students from three different university centres.

Medical students exhibited significantly lower BMI values compared to students from other academic centres. They also more often reported doing additional sports and assessed their overall level of physical activity significantly higher compared to students from other academic centres. Biology students reported to sleep longer and being more exhausted compared to medical students. Biology students tended to drink sugar-sweetened beverages and eat fast-food significantly more often than medical students. Students from the medical faculty in Wroclaw reported to smoke cigarettes less often compared to students from non-medical study. There were no significant differences in other studied factors, such as the use of alcohol, snacking between the meals and consumption of energy drinks.

Overall, students of medical fields reported a healthier lifestyle compared to their peers from biological faculties, although this was not consistent for all examined factors.

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