Associations between lifestyle clusters and sociodemographic factors in Brazilian university students
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.12820/rbafs.30e0408Keywords:
Lifestyle, Sociodemographic factors, Cluster analysis, StudentsAbstract
Objective: To identify clusters of lifestyle behaviors among Brazilian university students and their associations with social risk factors. Methods: This study presents a cross-sectional analysis of baseline data from the Unilife-M prospective multicenter cohort, recruited through non-probabilistic convenience sampling at ten Brazilian universities. Data were collected using a sociodemographic questionnaire and the Short Multidimensional Inventory Lifestyle Evolution - Confinement, which assesses seven lifestyle components: physical activity, eating behavior, screen time, substance use, sleep, stress management, and social support. The social risk factors analyzed included sex, race/ethnicity, gender identity, sexual orientation, and income. Two-step cluster analysis was used to identify clustering patterns. The associations were examined using multinomial logistic regression models. Results: The sample comprised 851 university students (56.5% female) with a mean age of 23 ± 6 years. Three different lifestyle profiles were identified: i) the At-risk cluster, with the worst outcomes across all lifestyle domains; ii) the Screeners cluster, with a negative pattern for screen time (z = -0.51 ± 0.37); and iii) the Non-screeners cluster, the group with healthier indicators for screen time (z = 1.42 ± 0.86) and eating behavior (z = 0.54 ± 0.72). A significant association was observed between sexual orientation and the clusters, with non-heterosexual individuals having a higher likelihood of belonging to the At-risk cluster (OR = 3.16, 95% CI: 1.95 - 5.12). No significant associations were identified between the clusters and sex, race/ethnicity, income, or gender identity. Conclusion: The results provide evidence for the existence of three distinct lifestyle behavior profiles among Brazilian university students, which are structured interdependently and reveal risk patterns, especially those marked by social inequalities. Additionally, an association was observed between sexual orientation and membership in a less-healthy cluster.
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Copyright (c) 2025 Anelise Sandri, Jhonatan Wélington Pereira Gaia, Maria Eduarda Venera, Eduarda Eugenia Dias de Jesus, Aline Josiane Waclawovsky, Danilo Rodrigues Pereira da Silva, Helena Ferreira Moura, Fabianna Resende de Jesus-Moraleida, Luis Eduardo Wearick da Silva, Nicole Leite Galvão-Coelho, Renato Sobral Monteiro-Junior, Raquel Brandini De Boni, Andrea Camaz Deslandes, Felipe Barreto Schuch, Thiago Sousa Matias
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