Age-related variation in lifestyle and its relationship to chronic disease as shown by a survey using a self-evaluation questionnaire

Abstract

Background: Many of the prevalent diseases have their roots in inappropriate lifestyle besides heredity. Modifiable lifestyle factors may be effective in the prevention and management of such diseases, as indicated by several research studies. This cross-sectional survey explores the correlation between various lifestyle factors and some common diseases primarily in the Indian context. Materials and Methods: A lifestyle questionnaire having 40 questions and comprising 7 dimensions was administered as a Google Form. The subjects of the study, recruited using convenience sampling, were all above 17 years of age. Results: The subjects were divided into four age groups. The lifestyle score (LS) increased with age, with the maximum rise happening in the age group 31–40. For the age groups 31–40 and 41–60, significant differences were found in the LSs of those having a lifestyle disease and those having none; two out of seven dimensions could predict the presence of a lifestyle disease for these groups. A dimension-wise comparison between Indian and outside India subjects within age groups revealed that Indians scored better in most cases where there was a significant difference. A similar comparison between males and females showed that females scored better in all cases of significant difference. However, females had a significantly more incidence of lifestyle diseases. Conclusions: The impact of a low LS starts becoming visible in the age group 31–40. Furthermore, this group makes maximum efforts to improve lifestyle. Hence, it is likely to be benefited the most by health education. Since females appear to be more prone, they need special focus.