The concept of lifestyle is a multifaceted construct that appears in different forms and definitions in the psychological and sociological fields. In this article, a narrative review of the main definitions and conceptualisations of this concept is conducted with the aim of constructing a model that can serve as a basis for health promotion interventions.
The first approach, which focuses on internal aspects, has roots in the field of psychology, starting with Alfred Adler, who understood it as a style of personality. This view was later refined by Milton Rokeach, Arnold Mitchell and Lynn R. Kahle, who developed the concept of lifestyle in terms of values and attitudes. The latter, according to this line of research, converge in a hierarchical system that defines an individual’s personal world.
A second approach, which focuses on external aspects, is the result of sociological analysis. It is represented by the work of Thorstein Veblen, who emphasised specific patterns of conspicuous consumption that reflect a desire for distinction from other social strata that are perceived as inferior and a desire to emulate those considered to be superior. This perspective was further refined by Max Weber, who positioned lifestyles as distinctive elements of status groups and a clear sign of the prestige that they enjoy or aspire to.
Lastly, the third approach, which combines both the previous two, has been developed within the context of health psychology. This theory defines lifestyle as a combination of determining intangible factors, such as demographic variables and the psychological aspect of an individual (values, attitudes and outlooks), with tangible factors that are related to health behaviours, such as a healthy diet, sedentary habits and physical activity.
The current state of knowledge on lifestyle is fragmented, and the resulting theoretical and explanatory models are very different from each other. In order to build a model that can serve as the basis for health promotion interventions, it is necessary to create a more unified vision of this construct and to identify its underlying principles.
It is necessary to define a clear set of characteristics for identifying what constitutes a healthy lifestyle and to develop methods that can measure these factors in a precise way. It is also necessary to explore the ways in which these factors interact with each other, and to identify possible antecedents of lifestyle behaviours that can be used as the basis for health promotion interventions. This will help to clarify the meaning of the concept of lifestyle and reduce the number of theories that have no practical use. This will make it easier to conduct a comprehensive, scientific review of this literature in the future.
