Life style and health risk behavior of youth in Bangalore

Introduction: The leading causes of mortality and morbidity among young people can be traced to several preventable health risk behaviours that are often initiated during youth and may extend into adulthood. Intermittent monitoring of health risk behaviours at the youth level is important for the planning and evaluation of national health promotion intervention programs. Half of the premature death from the 10 leading causes in developed countries is caused by preventable factors such as tobacco use, alcohol abuse, physical inactivity, unhealthy dietary habits etc. Aim: The aim of the study was to understand the life style and extend of health risk behavior among youth in Bangalore. Methods: A cross –sectional study was conducted in selected six Business school students of Electronic city of Bangalore using multistage sampling technique for selecting 165 students who pursuing Master of Business Administration during September -November 2015. Data analysis was done by SPSS version 17. Result: The study reveals that, more than one third (36.4%) of the students had smock at least once. Only negligible proportion of the students had experienced on chewing tobacco or pan. Less than half of the students (46. 7%) were consumed alcohol. It was quite hurting that 7.9% had taken drugs at least one time in their life. High prevalence of health risk behaviours and increases in some of them should call for intensified college health promotion programmes to reduce such risk behaviours. Health-promotion activities should be established to decrease the occurrence of these behaviours and prevent their future adverse health outcomes.