Association Between Lifestyle Parameters, Quality of Life, and Satisfaction with Life in Chilean University Students

Background: A negative lifestyle has been reported to be associated with poor quality of life (QoL). However, there is limited information regarding the relationship between satisfaction with life (SWL) and lifestyle factors in university students. Objective: The aim of the present study was to determine the association between lifestyle parameters, quality of life (i.e., physical, psychological, social, and environmental dimensions), and categories of satisfaction with life (i.e., extremely satisfied, satisfied, slightly satisfied, dissatisfied, extremely dissatisfied) in Chilean university students. Methods: This cross-sectional study included a total of 212 university students (128 females and 83 males), aged between 18 and 28 years. Physical activity (PA), screen time (ST), dietary habits, sleep quality, QoL, and SWL were assessed using validated questionnaires. Results: SWL presented inverse association with unhealthy diet (β = -0.18, 95%CI; -0.28 to -0.09, p < 0.001), sleep < 6 h (β = -0.21, 95%CI; -0.31 to -0.11, <0.001), ST > 4 h (β = -0.10, 95%CI; -0.18 to -0.01, 0.015) and non-PA (β = -0.10, 95%CI; -0.19 to -0.01, p = 0.027). Regarding the association between lifestyle parameters and QoL, unhealthy diet was inversely associated with the physical (β; 0.18, 95%CI; -0.27 to -0.09, <0.001), psychological (β = -0.18, 95%CI; -0.27 to 0.09, p < 0.001), and environmental (β = -0.14, 95%CI; -0.23 to -0.06, 0.001) dimensions, and overall QoL score (β = -0.06, 95%CI; -0.09 to -0.03, p < 0.001). Sleep duration < 6 h showed inverse associations with the physical (β = -0.21, 95%Ci; -0.30 to -0.11, <0.001), psychological (β = -0.20, 95%CI; -0.30 to -0.10, <0.001), social (β = -0.30, 95%CI; -0.47 to -0.14, p < 0.001), and environmental (β = -0.13, 95CI; -0.21 to -0.04, p = 0.004) dimensions, and overall QoL score (β = -0.07, 95%CI; -0.10 to -0.04, p < 0.001). Non-PA was associated with physical dimensions (β = -0.09, 95%CI; -0.17 to -0.01, p = 0.019). Non-PA reported association with physical (β = -0.16, 95%CI; -0.25 to -0.07, p < 0.001), psychological (β = -0.20, 95%CI; -0.30 to -0.10, p < 0.001), social (β = -0.25, 95%CI; -0.41 to -0.09, p = 0.002), and environmental (β = -0.11, 95%CI; -0.19 to -0.02, p = 0.010) dimensions, and QoL overall score (β = -0.06, 95%CI; -0.09 to -0.03, p < 0.001). Conclusions: Poor diet, inadequate sleep, excessive ST, and non-PA are all associated with negative impacts on SWL and QoL in Chilean university students.