Abstract
Objective: To develop a lifestyle risk scale (LRS) of health-related behaviors based on risk assessments of study participants. Method: By means of pairwise comparisons of assessed risks associated with tobacco, alcohol, obesity, fast-food, physical inactivity, and lack of sleep, each at four levels, 24 behaviors were ranked on a unidimensional risk scale. Results: Overall, use of tobacco was assigned the highest risk score (3.7), consumption of fast-food and lack of sleep the lowest (1.7, 1.6). Minor risk factors (lack of sleep and fast-food) were, at their highest levels, assigned similar risk values as major risk factors (tobacco, alcohol, obesity) at their lowest levels. Lifestyles of female participants were less hazardous than those of male participants, as measured with the LRS. In contrast, perception of behavioral health risks was more precise in men. Conclusions: The LRS provides a practical quantification to identify and compare groups with different risk behavior patterns as well as clusters of risky health behaviors in and across populations. It can also support the communication of behavioral health risks.
Highlights
It is generally accepted that in Western populations chronic diseases are largely due to unhealthy lifestyles [1,2]
The self-administered questionnaire covered three areas: sociodemographic and anthropometric variables, individual health related behaviors using four ordinal response categories, and the appraisal of 24 pairs of lifestyle risk factors. The latter were defined considering the guidelines for reducing chronic diseases [2], and study participants were asked about their risk assessment regarding tobacco and alcohol consumption, obesity, daily physical activity, weekly fast food consumption and sleeping hours, each dimension divided into four increasing degrees of risk
Most participants lived in Germany (77%) and did not lead risky lifestyles: 85 percent were non-smokers, 83 percent had normal weight, 71 percent drank less than one drink per day and 69 percent ate fast food less than once a week
Summary
It is generally accepted that in Western populations chronic diseases are largely due to unhealthy lifestyles [1,2]. The CDRI includes the body mass index (BMI) In these studies, behavioral risk factors were assigned scores relative to their epidemiological risks. In a cross national comparison between China and the United States similarities of lifestyle patterns and different unhealthy behaviors were identified with the Lifestyle Index [18] Both indices seem to solve the problem of identifying and comparing high risk groups. It would be desirable to have a unidimensional risk scale available for combinations of health-related behaviors, which could support communicating lifestyle risks in an understandable way [6] The lack of such an instrument was the motivation to develop a unidimensional risk scale for ranking behavioral risks according to their health impact. The development of the Lifestyle Risk Scale (LRS) is descrybed, as well as the risks of the study population, based on applying the scale to the reported actual behaviors
Sign-in/Register to view highlights & summary Sign-in/Register to access full text options 
Talk to us
Join us for a 30 min session where you can share your feedback and ask us any queries you have
Schedule a callDisclaimer: All third-party content on this website/platform is and will remain the property of their respective owners and is provided on "as is" basis without any warranties, express or implied. Use of third-party content does not indicate any affiliation, sponsorship with or endorsement by them. Any references to third-party content is to identify the corresponding services and shall be considered fair use under The CopyrightLaw.
