{"status":"ok","message-type":"work","message-version":"1.0.0","message":{"indexed":{"date-parts":[[2026,11,4]],"date-time":"2026-11-04T11:23:52Z","timestamp":1793791432547,"version":"4.6.1"},"reference-count":47,"publisher":"Frontiers Media SA","license":[{"start":{"date-parts":[[2024,10,2]],"date-time":"2024-10-02T00:00:00Z","timestamp":1727827200000},"content-version":"vor","delay-in-days":0,"URL":"https:\/\/creativecommons.org\/licenses\/by\/4.0\/"}],"content-domain":{"domain":["frontiersin.org"],"crossmark-restriction":true},"short-container-title":["Front. Public Health"],"abstract":"<jats:sec><jats:title>Background<\/jats:title><jats:p>The study aimed to evaluate self-perceived changes in lifestyle factors, particularly physical activity (PA), following the transition from secondary school to university. A secondary objective was to examine the relationship between lifestyle variables and weekly PA frequency. Key factors assessed included sleep quality, dietary habits, alcohol and tobacco consumption, and PA frequency.<\/jats:p><\/jats:sec><jats:sec><jats:title>Methods<\/jats:title><jats:p>The study surveyed 1,665 first-year undergraduate students at Slovak public universities (mean age: 20.73\u2009years, SD \u00b11.39) using adapted versions of Healthy Lifestyle Questionnaire (CEVS-II) and the Brief Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (B-PSQI). Data collection took place between December 2022 and February 2023.<\/jats:p><\/jats:sec><jats:sec><jats:title>Results<\/jats:title><jats:p>Significant declines were observed in most lifestyle variables after students transitioned to university. The proportion of students engaging in irregular, or no PA increased from 37% before university to 46% during their studies (<jats:italic>p<\/jats:italic>\u2009&amp;lt;\u20090.01). Reports of tiredness upon waking also rose, from 52 to 64% (<jats:italic>p<\/jats:italic>\u2009&amp;lt;\u20090.01). Meal frequency decreased, particularly among males, with the percentage of students eating only 1\u20132 meals per day rising from 9 to 15% (<jats:italic>p<\/jats:italic>\u2009&amp;lt;\u20090.05). Conversely, the regularity of breakfast consumption increased, increasing from 65 to 73% (<jats:italic>p<\/jats:italic>\u2009&amp;lt;\u20090.01). No significant changes were observed in tobacco smoking habits.<\/jats:p><\/jats:sec><jats:sec><jats:title>Conclusion<\/jats:title><jats:p>The findings highlight a notable reduction in PA and other lifestyle factors during the transition to university life. These results emphasize the need for targeted interventions to support healthy behaviors during this critical life phase.<\/jats:p><\/jats:sec>","DOI":"10.3389\/fpubh.2024.1461989","type":"journal-article","created":{"date-parts":[[2024,10,2]],"date-time":"2024-10-02T04:53:07Z","timestamp":1727844787000},"update-policy":"https:\/\/doi.org\/10.3389\/crossmark-policy","source":"Crossref","is-referenced-by-count":24,"title":["Selected lifestyle factors as students transition from secondary school to university in Slovakia"],"prefix":"10.3389","volume":"12","author":[{"given":"Alena","family":"Bukov\u00e1","sequence":"first","affiliation":[],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Petra","family":"Tomkov\u00e1","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Ivan","family":"Uher","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Tatiana","family":"Kim\u00e1kov\u00e1","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"\u013dubo\u0161","family":"Vojta\u0161ko","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Ferdinand","family":"Salonna","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]}],"member":"1965","published-online":{"date-parts":[[2024,10,2]]},"reference":[{"key":"ref1","first-page":"1","volume-title":"How college affects students: a third decade of research","author":"Pascarella","year":"2005"},{"key":"ref2","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"215824402110321","DOI":"10.1177\/21582440211032162","article-title":"What is known about students and sleep: systematic review and evidence map","volume":"11","author":"Bj\u00f8rnnes","year":"2021","journal-title":"SAGE Open"},{"key":"ref3","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"695","DOI":"10.1002\/2327-6924.12520","article-title":"Sleep behaviors in traditional-age college students: a state of the science review with implications for practice","volume":"29","author":"Owens","year":"2017","journal-title":"J Am Assoc Nurse Pract"},{"key":"ref4","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"51","DOI":"10.1016\/J.SMRV.2019.06.004","article-title":"Internet addiction and sleep problems: a systematic review and meta-analysis","volume":"47","author":"Alimoradi","year":"2019","journal-title":"Sleep Med Rev"},{"key":"ref5","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"1","DOI":"10.18332\/TID\/162001","article-title":"The effectiveness of tobacco cessation programs for university students: a systematic review and meta-analysis","volume":"21","author":"Setchoduk","year":"2023","journal-title":"Tob Induc Dis"},{"key":"ref6","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"1006","DOI":"10.1080\/13676261.2023.2190013","article-title":"\u2018When I came to university, that\u2019s when the real shift came\u2019: alcohol and belonging in English higher education","volume":"27","author":"Fenton","year":"2024","journal-title":"J Youth Stud"},{"key":"ref7","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"249","DOI":"10.1080\/10826084.2021.2002902","article-title":"\u201cIf you Don\u2019t drink at university, You\u2019re going to struggle to make friends\u201d prospective students\u2019 perceptions around alcohol use at universities in the United Kingdom","volume":"57","author":"Gambles","year":"2021","journal-title":"Substance Use & Misuse"},{"key":"ref8","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"4552","DOI":"10.3390\/NU6104552","article-title":"The prevalence of food addiction as assessed by the Yale food addiction scale: a systematic review","volume":"6","author":"Pursey","year":"2014","journal-title":"Nutrients"},{"key":"ref9","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"14588","DOI":"10.3390\/IJERPH192114588","article-title":"Food addiction problems in college students: the relationship between weight-related variables, eating habits, and food choices","volume":"19","author":"Gon\u00e7alves","year":"2022","journal-title":"Int J Environ Res Public Health"},{"key":"ref10","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"491","DOI":"10.2165\/00007256-200939060-00004","article-title":"The antidepressive effects of exercise: a meta-analysis of randomized trials","volume":"39","author":"Rethorst","year":"2009","journal-title":"Sports Med"},{"key":"ref11","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"62","DOI":"10.1108\/SHR-01-2018-0002","article-title":"The modern employee: exercise and the brain","volume":"17","author":"Guggina","year":"2018","journal-title":"Strateg HR Rev"},{"key":"ref12","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"e0175190","DOI":"10.1371\/JOURNAL.PONE.0175190","article-title":"Physical activity on prescription (PAP), in patients with metabolic risk factors. 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