Health Risk Behaviour In University Students: Prevalence And Reciprocal Nature Of Risk Behaviours

The years of higher education is a period during which youth experience a number of important changes. In this period, students experience greater autonomy for the first time, being away from their families. During this period of time in which young individuals have to reshape their lifestyle habits, they also try to adapt increasing academic challenges and new social relations. While some of them adapt to these changes in a healthy way, others may engage in risk behaviours in terms of physical or mental health. In the related literature, health risk behaviours among youth and young adults are primarily grouped in six categories. These are tobacco use, alcohol and other drug use, risky sexual behaviours, unhealthy dietary behaviours, physical inactivity, and behaviours that contribute to unintentional and intentional injuries. These health risk behaviours have an enormous impact on current and future health status of young adults. Therefore, the aim of this review is to contribute to efforts of assessing prevalence of the health risk behaviours among university students and reciprocal relationships among these behaviours.