Investigating Health-Promoting Lifestyle Factors and Demographic Impacts Among Collegiate Flight Students

Abstract

Collegiate flight students face unique physiological and psychological challenges in maintaining a balanced and health-promoting lifestyle due to the simultaneous pressures of academic coursework and intensive flight training. This study investigated the interrelationships among six dimensions of a health-promoting lifestyle, health responsibility, physical activity, nutrition, spiritual growth, interpersonal relationships, and stress management. A quantitative, non-experimental survey design was utilized with the validated Health-Promoting Lifestyle Profile II (HPLP II) instrument. Data was collected from 191 collegiate flight students enrolled in Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) Part 141 programs across the United States. Findings indicated a moderately healthy overall lifestyle score (M = 2.64, SD = 0.39), with significant positive correlations among all six lifestyle categories. No statistically significant differences were found between gender or among different flight-certification levels. Results suggest that health behaviors among collegiate flight students are interdependent, with stress management, interpersonal relationships, and spiritual growth demonstrating the strongest associations with overall wellness. These findings provide actionable implications for aviation training programs and policymakers to enhance collegiate flight student well-being, optimize performance, and promote a stronger safety culture in flight training operations.