Explaining health-promoting lifestyles of Navy personnel

This study examined the relationship of six dimensions of health-promoting lifestyle (self-actualization, health responsibility, interpersonal support, exercise, nutrition, and stress management) with selected sociodemographic and attitudinal variables in a random sample of 421 active duty Navy personnel. Participants who were older, officers, shore-based, married, and who reported high levels of perceived health all had significantly higher scores for overall health-promoting life-style and several lifestyle dimensions. Exercise of self-care agency--a composite health attitude indicator--accounted for 35% of the variance in health-promoting lifestyle patterns. Among the sociodemographic variables, educational level, race, and perceived health state were differentially predictive of healthy lifestyle dimensions.