Examination of college student health behaviors and self-reported executive functions.

Objective: Emerging adulthood is characterized by maturation of executive functions (EF) and changes in health behaviors (HB). Interestingly, EF are bi-directionally related to many specific HB; yet how EF performs in relation to overall patterns of HB engagement is unclear. Groupings of HB and the relationship between these HB groupings and EF were examined. PARTICIPANTS: Full-time college students were recruited from three large Mid- and Southwest universities (N = 1,387). METHODS: Online self-report questionnaires assessing demographics, HB, and EF were completed. RESULTS: Latent class analysis of HB revealed three classes: (1) High Substance Use, (2) Moderately Healthy, (3) Healthy. In general, the Healthy class had significantly greater EF compared to no significant differences between the other two classes. CONCLUSIONS: Collective engagement in HB is associated with EF. Interventions targeting both HB and EF simultaneously may be most efficacious.