The study aimedto estimate the prevalence of smoking and alcohol intake among university studentsfrom the Federal University of Pelotas, Brazil (UFPel), as well as to investigatefactors associated with both habits. The sample included 485 students who wereadmitted to the university in 2008. Students were sampled randomly across allschools of the UFPel campus, and answered a pre-tested questionnaire,which was administered in the classroom by a member of the research team. Ofthe individuals interviewed, 53.9% were females and 42.3% were under 20 years.Regarding alcohol intake, 75% used alcohol once a month or less frequently,and the prevalence of risk for abusive alcohol intake was 6.2%. Regarding smoking,10.2% reported smoking regularly or on weekends. More than 90% of those whosmoked or used alcohol started before entering the university. Smoking was directlyrelated to age and inversely related to self-rated health. In terms of alcoholintake, those who lived with friends were more likely to use it. Our data suggestthe need for implementing strategies to promote healthy lifestyles among universitystudents. However, the fact that more than 90% of individuals started to smokeor drink before entering the university suggests that interventions should targetadolescents as a whole, and not only those who are university students, becauseonset of smoking and alcohol intake seems to occur at earlier ages.
