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Religiosity and Healthy Lifestyle Behaviours in Malaysian Muslims: The Mediating Role of Subjective Well-Being and Self-Regulation

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Abstract

Past research on healthy lifestyle behaviours has been primarily conducted within Western or Judeo–Christian contexts, while non-Western or Muslim contexts remain under-represented. This study examined predictors of healthy lifestyle behaviours (religiosity, goal-setting, impulse control, and subjective well-being) in Malaysian Muslims and explored the mechanisms underlying the relationship between religiosity and healthy lifestyle behaviours. Self-report survey responses from 183 healthy adults (M age = 28.63 years, 18–50 years) were analysed using regression and multiple mediation analyses. The results indicated that subjective well-being emerged as the strongest predictor, followed by goal-setting. Furthermore, subjective well-being and goal-setting mediated the religiosity–healthy lifestyle behaviour relationship. The findings provide guidance for future health-promoting interventions.

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Acknowledgements

Funding was provided by an internal grant from the Halal Ecosystem (HE) Multidisciplinary Research Platform, Monash University Malaysia (Grant No. HE-14-SG-03).

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  1. Department of Psychology, Jeffrey Cheah School of Medicine and Health Sciences, Monash University Malaysia, Jalan Lagoon Selatan, Bandar Sunway, 47500, Subang Jaya, Selangor, Malaysia

    Swan Ee Tey, Miriam Sang-Ah Park & Karen Jennifer Golden

  2. Halal Ecosystem (HE) Multidisciplinary Research Platform, Monash University Malaysia, Subang Jaya, Selangor, Malaysia

    Karen Jennifer Golden

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  1. Swan Ee Tey
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Correspondence to Karen Jennifer Golden.

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University ethical approval was received for this study. All procedures performed in studies involving human participants were in accordance with the ethical standards of the institutional and/or national research committee and with the 1964 Declaration of Helsinki and its later amendments or comparable ethical standards.

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Tey, S.E., Park, M.SA. & Golden, K.J. Religiosity and Healthy Lifestyle Behaviours in Malaysian Muslims: The Mediating Role of Subjective Well-Being and Self-Regulation. J Relig Health 57, 2050–2065 (2018). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10943-017-0420-2

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