IGOR EFREMOV: “THE PARTIAL MOBILIZATION HAS BECOME A MAIN FACTOR AFECTING MEN’S LIFESTYLE
In his interview with the RBK, Igor Efremov, Researcher of the International Department of Demography and Human Capital of the Gaidar Institute has commented on Rosstat study findings which point to a decrease in the share of men leading a healthy lifestyle.
The formation of the Russians’ healthy lifestyle is the country’s national goal of development. Russia has started the federal project – “The Formation of the System of Motivation of Citizens to a Healthy Lifestyle, Including Healthy Nutrition and Rejection of Harmful Habits” – aimed at increasing the share of such individuals. Following the results of observations in 2022, Rosstat has estimated that the share of men who do not lead a healthy lifestyle increased to 55% as compared with 40% a year ago, while in case of women the trend is quite the opposite. Experts justify it by stresses of the previous year. In the pandemic, the number of opponents of a healthy lifestyle was even higher.
Considering the period of the field part of observations (September- early October 2022), growth in anxiety, stress and consumption of harmful substances is quite expected, Igor Efremov believes. Such sudden jumps are not typical of people’s lifestyle; they can be caused either by problems related with the sample size of the study or, more likely, the developments of 2022, Igor Efremov notes.
“Such sudden changes were probably caused by Russia’s participation in the special military operation and, particularly, the mobilization to the armed forces,” the expert says.
The difference in dynamics of the indicators for men and women can serve as further evidence of the fact that the partial mobilization has affected dramatically men’s lifestyle, Igor Efremov notes. “As mobilization does not present any personal physical threat to women (except for a small share of military women personnel), it has not affected women’s lifestyle as much as that of men, Igor Efremov believes.