Health behaviours and outcomes in UK university students: a Bayesian network study
Health behaviours and outcomes in UK university students: a Bayesian network study
Introduction: Historically, university students have harmful lifestyle habits that have negative consequences for current and future health outcomes. However, there is limited understanding of the system within which factors interact to influence health status. Aim: This study aimed to explore the relationships between health-related behaviours and outcomes in UK university students using Bayesian network analysis.
Materials and methods: A total of 4132 university students completed an online, self-report survey to assess dietary and lifestyle markers of health at the start of the academic year in either 2021, 2022, or 2023. Directed Acyclic Graph (DAG) analysis was conducted to explore the relationships between variables of interest.
Results: The DAG demonstrated that ethnicity had the most profound influence on the model (model fit indices: CFI = 0.99, RMSEA = 0.02, and SRMR = 0.02). Perceived stress also had a substantial impact on the model ahead of alcohol consumption, smoking status, and body mass index. When separated by gender, the model for men was largely similar to the overall model. However, in women, the influence of smoking status and BMI diminished.
Conclusions: These findings provide novel insight into the complex system within which psychological and behavioural aspects of health interact to influence university students’ health status.
Magistro, Daniele
ab9296bc-fda6-469e-a3f8-3a574faa1b7e
20 March 2026
Magistro, Daniele
ab9296bc-fda6-469e-a3f8-3a574faa1b7e
Magistro, Daniele
(2026)
Health behaviours and outcomes in UK university students: a Bayesian network study.
Academia Mental Health and Well-Being, 3 (1).
(doi:10.20935/MHealthWellB8158).
Abstract
Introduction: Historically, university students have harmful lifestyle habits that have negative consequences for current and future health outcomes. However, there is limited understanding of the system within which factors interact to influence health status. Aim: This study aimed to explore the relationships between health-related behaviours and outcomes in UK university students using Bayesian network analysis.
Materials and methods: A total of 4132 university students completed an online, self-report survey to assess dietary and lifestyle markers of health at the start of the academic year in either 2021, 2022, or 2023. Directed Acyclic Graph (DAG) analysis was conducted to explore the relationships between variables of interest.
Results: The DAG demonstrated that ethnicity had the most profound influence on the model (model fit indices: CFI = 0.99, RMSEA = 0.02, and SRMR = 0.02). Perceived stress also had a substantial impact on the model ahead of alcohol consumption, smoking status, and body mass index. When separated by gender, the model for men was largely similar to the overall model. However, in women, the influence of smoking status and BMI diminished.
Conclusions: These findings provide novel insight into the complex system within which psychological and behavioural aspects of health interact to influence university students’ health status.
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Health_behaviours_and_outcomes_in_UK_uni (2)
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Accepted/In Press date: 10 February 2026
Published date: 20 March 2026
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Local EPrints ID: 510882
URI: http://eprints.soton.ac.uk/id/eprint/510882
PURE UUID: 44db33a0-fd96-40d2-a26f-c738fbf9a6c8
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Date deposited: 23 Apr 2026 16:54
Last modified: 24 Apr 2026 02:20
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Author:
Daniele Magistro
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