The term lifestyle was first used in the psychological literature by Adler [12]. Its importance was recognised because it is an expression of a person’s identity. It represents the way in which a person lives and acts and is formed by his/her basic personality traits. Since then, a large number of theories have been developed, and they can be categorised based on their content into three interpretative keys: internal, external and temporal (Table 1).
Theories that emphasise the internal dimension focus on an individual’s characteristics and his/her way of living. They include the concept of style as a feature that is related to personality, and they use the term lifestyle as an expression of human uniqueness and creativity. They also draw on the origin of the word style in the artistic field and evoke the idea that the personal imprint consists of a set of values and principles that differ from one another. However, these conceptualisations remain limited in that they do not explore the process of formation and adoption of a lifestyle.
In contrast, those that emphasise the external dimension analyse a person’s behaviours and lifestyle in relation to his/her social position in a particular sociocultural context. They use the concept of culture as a framework and emphasise the notion that the internalisation of cultural conventions is what characterises a lifestyle. This type of theory has a broad range of applications in health psychology, especially with regard to the study of unhealthy lifestyles.
It is a common feature of the social context that individuals choose lifestyles that are not good for them. These unhealthy lifestyles have been linked to a variety of adverse health outcomes, including cardiovascular diseases, respiratory diseases, and musculoskeletal disorders. The development of new models for health promotion that are based on the concept of lifestyle is therefore essential.
Lifestyles are a major area of research in both the sociodemographic and health fields, but they are not well understood. This article aims to shed light on the concept of lifestyle and its relationship to health by reexamining its different dimensions. It also identifies possible areas for future research.
The emergence of lifestyles is a recent phenomenon, and their evolution has been driven by the increasing need to satisfy various needs. For example, some people want to achieve a sense of belonging and to be appreciated by others, while other prefer self-gratification. This has resulted in the emergence of lifestyles that are more focused on outer-directed activities and others that are more inner-directed.
A healthy lifestyle consists of a balanced combination of different factors that allow an individual to enjoy a satisfactory quality of life. These factors can be broadly defined as mental and physical wellbeing, social interactions, relationships, and spirituality. A healthy lifestyle also enables the individual to achieve a satisfying work/life balance and maintain positive emotions. These factors are reflected in a person’s choices regarding the use of recreational drugs and alcohol, the type of diet they follow, and the amount of exercise they engage in.