Priority Health Behaviors Among South African Undergraduate Students

This study examined the priority health behaviors of South African youth by administering a questionnaire to 635 undergraduate students enrolled in a large metropolitan university in South Africa. Results indicate that 65.5 % of the participants tried cigarettes at least once during their lifetime, over 15.2 % had their first cigarette and 31.2% had their first alcoholic drink before age 15, and over 95.4 % consumed their first alcoholic drink by age 18. During the month preceding the survey, 37.0 % consumed five or more alcoholic drinks on a single occasion and 10.3 % carried a weapon at least once. Over 83.3 % percent had at least three servings of fruits and vegetables the day before the survey, 44.3 % engaged in vigorous physical activity on three or more of the seven days preceding the survey, 10 % rarely or never wore a seatbelt when driving, 10 % seriously considered attempting suicide, and 46.7% had sexual intercourse in their lifetime. Results were analyzed by demographic variables including sex, race and age. Recommendations for campus wellness programs addressing these issues are included