Abstract

ASSOCIATIONS BETWEEN DIET, SMOKING, ALCOHOL CONSUMPTION, SLEEP AND THE WELL-BEING OF UNIVERSITY STAFF

Andrew P. Smith*

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Abstract

Background: Previous research has examined the associations between well-being and health-related behaviours (HRBs) in samples of students and workers. In recent studies, well-being has been measured with the well-being process questionnaire (WPQ), and this was continued in the present survey of university staff. Diet, smoking, alcohol consumption, and sleep were also recorded. Methods: An online survey of 120 university staff asked about well-being and HRBs in the last six months. Results: Correlational analyses showed that some HRBs were associated with well-being outcomes. Positive wellbeing was negatively associated with the frequency of alcohol consumption during the week and at the weekend. It was also negatively associated with the sleep problems. Negative well-being was positively associated with sleep problems and negatively associated with coffee and fruit consumption. Regressions were carried out on the positive and negative well-being outcomes, and the established predictors of well-being and the HRBs were included as independent variables. Positive well-being was predicted by higher psychological capital scores, greater social support, job demands and more frequent consumption of fruit. Negative well-being was predicted by high job demands, greater use of negative coping and problems sleeping. Conclusion: Health-related behaviours were associated with certain well-being outcomes, but these associations were generally not significant when established predictors of wellbeing were included in the analyses. Indeed, only the associations between fruit consumption and positive well-being, and negative well-being and problems sleeping remained significant. These results confirm previous findings from surveys of students and other groups of workers. Future research with longitudinal designs and interventions is required to identify underlying causal mechanisms.

Keywords: University Staff; Well-being; Health Related Behaviours; Diet; Sleep; Fruit; Coffee; Alcohol.