Exploring health promoting lifestyle behaviors of Japanese college women: perceptions, practices, and issues.

The purpose of this study was to explore health promoting lifestyle behaviors (HPLBs) of college women in Japan. In addition, perceived health status and concerns were evaluated. The methods used were both qualitative and quantitative. The qualitative data from focus groups with 38 Japanese college women were used to develop a questionnaire. Subsequently, 546 randomly selected college women responded to the mailed survey (response rate 54%). Forty percent of the college women respondents perceived themselves as "rather unhealthy" or "unhealthy." The investigator conclude that (1) perceived HPLBs, health status, and health concerns were mutually associated, thus, to increase perceived health status and/or decrease perceived health concerns, promoting healthy lifestyle behaviors must be considered; (2) the number of perceived motives or cues and the number of perceived health concerns of importance to college women must be considered to promote healthy lifestyle behaviors.