Reported practices of a healthy and active lifestyle in the prevention of type 2 diabetes : a case study of an undergraduate class of Malaysian youth

Abstract

Type 2 Diabetes (T2D) has become more prevalent among the younger population worldwide, including Malaysia. This study investigated the eating habits and physical activity of a group of Malaysian students in a public university. This investigation aimed to understand the youth’s lifestyles related to the heightened risk of youth-onset T2D. This study also sought to gauge the youth’s knowledge and awareness of T2D and determine their health beliefs. The researcher utilised a questionnaire and in-depth interviews as the means of data collection in this study. An online survey was conducted to obtain information on eating habits, physical activity, level of awareness, and health beliefs regarding T2D among 34 students aged 20-24. To further explore the concepts investigated in the present study and perform a detailed descriptive analysis, the researcher utilised virtual, in-depth interviews with16 students from the group. From the data, the researcher concludes that the youth generally know that their eating habits can be improved. The results led to the researcher’s understanding that the participants considered healthy eating and proper diet as the only factors in a healthy lifestyle, relegating the importance of physical activities to the periphery. The fact that they did not consider being physically active as an integral part of a healthy lifestyle and an important determinant of good health was a misperception that this research found to be quite prevalent among the youth. Nonetheless, they were willing to alter their lifestyles to incorporate healthier habits and a more nutritional diet but were deterred by family attitudes, social norms, and social media influence. Although the findings were not aimed at generalisation, they could—to a certain extent—be used to understand the views of other youth groups with similar experiences and attempts at adopting healthy living. The findings led to the recommendation that government agencies and educational bodies carry out two urgent actions. First, they must run awareness programmes to enhance youth’s knowledge of T2D to make them more conscious of its gravity and consequences, and second, they must educate the public, targeting Malaysian families especially, on rendering support to young Malaysians who wish to live a healthy, diabetes-free life.