Giner-Murillo, MariaAtienza-Carbonell, BeatrizCervera-Martinez, JoseBobes-Bascaran, TeresaCrespo-Facorro, BenedictoDe Boni, Raquel BEsteban, CristinaGarcia-Portilla, Maria PazGomes-da-Costa, SusanaGonzalez-Pinto, AnaJaen-Moreno, Maria JoseKapczinski, FlavioPonce-Mora, AlbertoSarramea, FernandoTabares-Seisdedos, RafaelVieta, EduardZorrilla, IñakiBalanza-Martinez, Vicent2023-02-092023-02-092021-07-26Giner-Murillo M, Atienza-Carbonell B, Cervera-Martínez J, Bobes-Bascarán T, Crespo-Facorro B, De Boni RB, et al. Lifestyle in Undergraduate Students and Demographically Matched Controls during the COVID-19 Pandemic in Spain. Int J Environ Res Public Health. 2021 Jul 31;18(15):8133http://hdl.handle.net/10668/18322Few studies have used a multidimensional approach to describe lifestyle changes among undergraduate students during the COVID-19 pandemic or have included controls. This study aimed to evaluate lifestyle behaviors and mental health of undergraduate students and compare them with an age and sex-matched control group. A cross-sectional web survey using snowball sampling was conducted several months after the beginning of COVID-19 pandemic in Spain. A sample of 221 students was recruited. The main outcome was the total SMILE-C score. Students showed a better SMILE-C score than controls (79.8 + 8.1 vs. 77.2 + 8.3; p< 0.001), although these differences disappeared after controlling for covariates. While groups did not differ in the screenings of depression and alcohol abuse, students reported lower rates of anxiety (28.5% vs. 37.1%; p = 0.042). A lower number of cohabitants, poorer self-perceived health and positive screening for depression and anxiety, or for depression only were independently associated (p < 0.05) with unhealthier lifestyles in both groups. History of mental illness and financial difficulties were predictors of unhealthier lifestyles for students, whereas totally/moderate changes in substance abuse and stress management (p < 0.05) were predictors for the members of the control group. Several months after the pandemic, undergraduate students and other young adults had similar lifestyles.enAttribution 4.0 Internationalhttp://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/COVID-19LifestyleMental healthPandemicUndergraduate studentsAnxietyCOVID-19Cross-sectional studiesDepressionHumansLife stylePandemicsSARS-CoV-2SpainStudentsYoung adultresearch article34360426open accessAnsiedadEspañaDepresiónEstilo de vidaEstudiantesEstudios transversalesPandemias10.3390/ijerph181581331660-4601PMC8346054https://www.mdpi.com/1660-4601/18/15/8133/pdf?version=1627982798https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC8346054/pdf