Health Behaviour in Black South African University Students

Abstract

Four important health behaviours – dietary fat avoidance, regular exercise, smoking and alcohol consumption - were assessed by questionnaire, together with measures of risk awareness, beliefs about the importance of each behaviour for health, health status, health locus and health value. The sample included 793 Black University students from non-health courses chosen at random from the University of the North, South Africa. The students were 370 (46.7%) males and 423 (53.3%) females in the age range of 18 to 25 years (M age 21.0 years, SD=3.48). The following prevalences for healthy behaviour was found: almost half (44.7%) avoided fat and cholesterol and likewise 48% had exercised in the past 14 days. More than 90% were non-smokers and 84% were non-drinkers or drank alcohol only very occasionally. Sex emerged as an independent predictor for smoking and drinking. Men smoked and drank more than women did. The level of risk awareness about healthy behaviour seemed to be low in this sample. Risk awareness and prevalence of health behaviour was only found to have significant effects for non-smoking and not for the other health behaviours (exercise, fat intake, alcohol consumption). Beliefs were more important independent predictors of dietary fat intake and exercises than was risk awareness.