Researchers from the University of Leicester and Nottingham Trent University tracked nearly 450 students across three academic years and found that while some students maintain healthy habits, the majority remain locked in poor health patterns. Even worse, those who do shift tend to slip into worse health over time.

The study, published in BMC Public Health (March 2025), used detailed surveys and a technique called Latent Transition Analysis to track student behaviours like physical activity, mental wellbeing, diet, and alcohol use.

“Periods of transition like university life should be an opportunity to build good habits,” said lead researcher Ruth James. “Instead, what we often see is students becoming more stressed, less active, and stuck in unhealthy routines.”

Four Student Health ‘Profiles’

Students in the study fell into four main groups:

• Active but Highly Stressed: Moving a lot, but mentally struggling.
• Less Active but Well-Adjusted: Not hitting exercise goals, but feeling pretty good otherwise.
• Inactive and Stressed: A tough combination of low exercise, poor diet, and high stress.
• Highly Active and Well-Adjusted: Living the healthiest lives across the board.

And while these categories might sound balanced, the numbers tell another story.

The majority of students (over half), were stuck in negative profiles like “Inactive and Stressed” from October through April. Only about 20% maintained highly positive health behaviours.

Most Students Didn’t Improve and Some Got Worse

About 75% of students stayed in their original category throughout the year. For those who moved between profiles, it was usually a move toward worse outcomes, such as slipping from “Highly Active and Well-Adjusted” to “Inactive and Stressed.”

Transitions looked like this:

• 75% stayed put (mostly in negative profiles)
• Students most commonly lost positive habits rather than gained them

Who’s Most at Risk?

The study identified three groups of students at particularly high risk of poor health:

• Trans and gender diverse (TGD) students: 89% either stayed in or moved into a negative health profile.
• Women: 64% remained or transitioned into worse health.
• Second-year students: More likely to decline compared to first- or third-year students.

Interestingly, ethnicity didn’t make as big a difference as expected. White and Minoritised Ethnicity students both showed similar patterns of risk.

Why Does This Matter?

Poor health habits at university aren’t just about fitness or diet, they ripple into mental health, academic performance, and long-term wellbeing. Previous studies show that lack of physical activity and high stress can impair memory, concentration, and grades.

The researchers behind the study are urging universities to rethink how they offer support. Rather than blanket health campaigns for the general student population, they argue that universities should target high-risk groups and invest early, particularly around stress management and physical activity support.

You can read the full study here:

Identifying characteristics of UK university students at risk (BMC Public Health, 2025)