Unhealthy behavior clustering and mental health status in United States college students.

Objective

Examine the association of health risk behavior clusters with mental health status among US college students.

Participants

105,781 US college students who completed the Spring 2011 National College Health Assessment.

Methods

We utilized the latent class analysis to determine clustering of health risk behaviors (alcohol binge drinking, cigarette/marijuana use, insufficient physical activity, and fruit/vegetable consumption), and chi-square and ANOVA analyses to examine associations between the class membership and mental health (mental health diagnoses, psychological symptoms, and self-injurious thoughts/behaviors).

Results

Three classes were identified with differing rates of binge drinking, substance use, and insufficient physical activity but similar rates of insufficient fruit/vegetable consumption. Students classified with the highest rates of binge drinking and cigarette/marijuana use had the highest rates across all mental health variables compared to other classes.

Conclusions

Students who reported engaging in multiple health risk behaviors, especially high alcohol and cigarette/marijuana use, were also more likely to report poorer mental health.