Revealed: Stark disparity between what students recognise to be a healthy lifestyle versus the reality of their everyday lives
The new global research uncovers students' outlooks on a variety of mental and physical health related topics, including:
Over a third of time-poor and stressed students admit to relying on fast food to fuel their day
40% of students admit the cheapest way to eat at university is ready meals and takeaways
UK students say they would willingly attend healthy eating courses to improve their grades.
United Kingdom: With students returning to university ahead of the academic year, global student housing operator Yugo, has released recent research that exposes a clear imbalance between students’ perceptions of a healthy lifestyle versus the reality of their own.
The research included a variety of mental and physical health-related topics and gathered the opinions of over 6,000 students across six operating markets around the world, including the UK.
Over a third (37%) of students in the UK stated that they never make healthy, home-cooked meals, with a further quarter (24%) admitting that they only cook when they have guests. Time (64%), money (62%) and the convenience of takeaways (31%) were cited as some of the biggest barriers to cooking that students face.
Time-poor students also admitted to reaching for fast food (39%), unhealthy snacks (29%) and fizzy drinks (29%) when stressed, despite 30% of those surveyed recognizing fast food as a hinderance to their ability to focus.
When it comes to studying, 50% of students stated that they turn to exercise to aid their mental focus, while a quarter (24%) of those surveyed admitted to using alcohol and drugs to attempt to calm their nerves around exam time.
The quality of teaching (58%), physical and mental wellbeing (48%), and their accommodation/home environment (35%) were also noted as being some of the largest contributors to performing well at university.
With students starting or returning to university, Yugo is focused on improving the quality of life for its students through its Live Your Best Life program, ensuring that they are supported throughout their university experience and beyond. Through this initiative, students have access to several support networks and group sessions to improve their holistic living.
Richard Brenner, Operations Director, Europe at Yugo, said: “At Yugo, our core pillars have been developed by students, for students. Supporting the mental and physical health of our students is at the top of our priority list and we are constantly striving to improve the ways in which we operate. This research helps us to understand those specific areas in which additional support is required, be it through extra-curricular educational courses, training sessions, or even peer support groups. Our unique pillars of YugoEco, YuPro and YuGrow are constantly evolving to meet the changing needs of today’s students, ensuring that we are always there to support them.”
Yugo’s unique approach
At Yugo, students are empowered to grow personally through collaborative events and projects under the Live Your Best Life program - a holistic living experience developed from the Yugo research of thousands of students worldwide. This program supports students through three pillars based on sustainability - YugoEco, education – YuPro, personal development - YuGrow, to deliver on their needs and expectations.
YugoEco sees Yugo coming together with students to create better living spaces and a better planet through several initiatives. These include low energy usage programs, a collaboration with the Carbon Literacy Project on the importance of living more sustainable lives for students, and global partnerships with like-minded businesses for events, education and student experiences.
YuPro is all about empowering young people beyond higher education and to help prepare them for their careers and their professional development. Yugo is also offering training sessions in areas such as career advice, real life experience, coaching and empowerment.
YuGrow encourages Yugo students to shine by supporting their personal journey through events and activities in Yugo spaces, including student podcasts, diversity events and global student networking opportunities. Yugo has pledged to provide students with the most sustainably sourced chair and mattress – these were key findings from Yugo research as critical to their life to support both their physical environment and their emotional needs.