Lifestyle Behaviors and Their Socio-Demographic Correlates Among University-Going Adolescents in Rawalpindi, Pakistan: A Cross-Sectional Study.

OBJECTIVE: Adolescence is a critical period where lifestyle habits, including diet, physical exercise, sleep, and substance abuse, may have a significant influence on future health. The objective of this study was to determine adolescents' lifestyle behaviors and how they relate to socio-demographic characteristics. METHODS: The study included university-going older adolescents in Rawalpindi, Pakistan and employed a cross-sectional study design. Participants completed a validated questionnaire assessing lifestyle behaviors and their socio-demographic correlates, along with anthropometric measurements for BMI categorization. Chi-square test and multivariate logistic regression were used for analysis. RESULTS: The present study included 215 university-going older adolescents (mean age: 18.69 SD = 0.46 years); the majority (75.8%) were female participants, and 70.2% were urban inhabitants. The majority had a healthy BMI (68.8%) and ate three meals each day (90.7%), but less than 12% were physically active. Over a quarter reported not getting enough sleep. 28.4% of participants reported depressed symptoms; just 10.2% addressed their problems with a specialist. 9.8% used drugs (smoking), 20.9% vaped, and 25.6% began using before the age of 12. There were significant (p < 0.05) associations between lifestyle behaviors and socio-demographic characteristics such as age, BMI, and family type. Regression analysis showed BMI, residence, and parental education as key predictors of adolescent lifestyle. CONCLUSION: The findings revealed significant gaps in healthy lifestyle behaviors university-going older adolescents in Rawalpindi.