Mashael Huwaikem, Rafia Bano
The study examined the association between lifestyle patterns and body composition among nursing intern students. This cross-sectional study investigated the associations between dietary habits, physical activity, sleep patterns, and body composition among 801 nursing intern students. Body composition was objectively assessed using the InBody 520 Body Composition Analyzer, which measured body fat percentage, fat-free muscle mass, visceral fat level, and body mass index (BMI). Data were analysed using IBM SPSS Statistics version 26.0. Descriptive statistics, correlation analyses, and multiple linear regression were performed to examine the relationships between lifestyle behaviors and body composition indicators. Healthy dietary practices, adequate sleep duration, and regular physical activity were significantly associated with lower BMI, body fat percentage, and visceral fat levels. Among the examined lifestyle behaviors, physical activity demonstrated the strongest inverse association with BMI ( r = −0.447; β = −0.389). Conversely, frequent fast-food consumption, sugary drink intake, and breakfast skipping were significantly associated with higher BMI and adiposity indicators. The regression model was statistically significant ( F = 48.72, p < 0.001) and explained approximately 52% of the variance in BMI ( R 2 = 0.52), indicating that the examined lifestyle variables were significantly associated with BMI among the participants. Future longitudinal and intervention-based studies are warranted to clarify the temporal relationships between lifestyle behaviors and body composition and to evaluate strategies for promoting healthier body composition among young adults.