Lifestyle of medical school professors during the COVID-19 pandemic

Abstract

Introduction: Lifestyle medicine is an increasingly valued field in medicine. Based on scientific evidence, it addresses key health-related behaviors, which are the root causes of most premature deaths, chronic diseases, and health care costs. In a university context, the lifestyle of faculty directly and indirectly impacts undergraduate learning. Objective: This study aims to understand the overall scenario of the lifestyle of medical professors at a private university in São Paulo, to enable future assertive strategies to improve the lifestyle of this population. Materials and Methods: A statistical evaluation of 95 anonymous faculty members was conducted using an online questionnaire consisting of 4 questions about the perception of current health, need and motivation for change, along with the Fantastic Lifestyle Questionnaire, answered between November 2021 and May 2022. Results: From the subjective responses, there is a perceived need for change in the pillars of physical activity (64.2%), mental health/stress management (46.3%), weight management (46.3%), and sleep improvement (35.8%). Through the Fantastic Lifestyle Questionnaire, it is noted that 32% of the faculty have a lifestyle classified as "regular" or "needs improvement"; 89.5% of respondents do not meet the World Health Organization's recommendation for physical activity; 31% report being 8kg or more above their ideal weight; 48.4% complain of non-restorative sleep. Conclusion: In this study, we discuss the possible associations between work conditions, the difficulties in maintaining healthy lifestyle pillars, and how an unfavorable aspect of lifestyle can negatively impact one or several lifestyle pillars. A better understanding of these relationships is crucial for outlining more assertive strategies for the health of faculty and, consequently, better training for future doctors.