The Association of Healthy Lifestyle Components and Mental Health among Men and Women

A healthy lifestyle consisting of physical activity, stress management, healthy diet, and avoiding smoking and alcohol, has a significant impact on mental health. However, these components and their impact may vary among men and women. The aim of this study was to determine the ability of healthy lifestyle components in predicting women’s and men’s mental health.

The present study is descriptive-analytical. The statistical population included all 20 to 60-year-olds living in Kerman in 1398, 600 of whom, including 300 women and 300 men, were selected based on the sampling method of quotas from four regions of Kerman. The research data were collected through a global health scale of 12 questions and a healthy lifestyle questionnaire and analyzed with SPSS-23 statistical software and t-test and linear and multiple regression.

The mean (SD) age was 39 (9.6) among women and 40.5 (10.1) among men. The mean (SD) of women’s healthy lifestyle score was significantly higher than men: 55.7 (6.6) vs. 17.6 (7.9), P<0.001. The mean (SD) score of women’s stress management was 12.6 (3.7) significantly higher than men’s 11.7 (4.2), P<0.001. The rate of avoidance of tobacco and alcohol consumption among women was significantly higher than men: 19.4 (1.3) vs. 11.11 (4.2), P<0.001. The mean (SD) score of physical activity among women was significantly lower than men: 7.6 (3.0) vs. 8.2 (2.7), P<0.001. The mean (SD) score of healthy diet among women was significantly higher than men: 16.1 (2.8) vs. 15.3 (2.2), P<0.001. Predictive components for health Women’s Psychiatry Stress Management was 0.42 units, exercise and physical activity were 0.18 units, smoking cessation and alcohol consumption were 0.12 units, and the predictive components for men’s mental health were stress management 0.30 units and a healthy diet 0.16 were units.

The study found that stress management, smoking cessation, and a healthy diet were better among women. However, they had lower physical activity than men. Women’s mental health was positively associated with increased stress management, more exercise, less smoking, alcohol, and employment. Men’s mental health positively associated with increasing stress management and diet improvement. Among the components of a healthy lifestyle, stress management was the most effective predictor of mental health in both sexes.