AUTHOR=Fliss Isakov Naomi , Levi-Shahar Miri , Balmakov Yulia , Mahajni Yunis Ranaa , Endevelt Ronit , Blaychfeld Magnazi Moran 

TITLE=Detrimental Changes in Individual Health-Promoting Behaviors Among Internally Displaced Israelis

JOURNAL=International Journal of Public Health

VOLUME=Volume 70 - 2025

YEAR=2025

URL=https://www.ssph-journal.org/journals/international-journal-of-public-health/articles/10.3389/ijph.2025.1607794

DOI=10.3389/ijph.2025.1607794

ISSN=1661-8564

ABSTRACT=Objectives: Israel has recently forcibly internally displaced more than 200,000 people from their homes, and into hotels or apartments away from their livelihood, education and social structure. Our study aimed to identify immediate and late shifts in health promoting behaviors among this population.Methods: Two online surveys (immediately and late into the war), assessing demographics, displacement details, health promoting behavior and body-weight before and throughout the war. Displaced responders were compared to non-displaced responders regarding their reported lifestyle behaviors during the war. Univariate and multivariate analysis using the logistic regression analysis was used.Results: A total of 997 and 153 participants answered the first and second survey respectively. A statistically significant decrease in diet quality (P<0.001) and physical activity (PA) frequency (P=0.016), and a significant increase in diet quantity (P<0.001) and body weight (P=0.001) were reported among displaced individuals, compared to nondisplaced individuals. Staying with young children, and a pre-war healthy lifestyle were independently protective against a detrimental lifestyle change (OR=0.46, 95%CI 0.28-0.76 and OR=0.63, 95%CI 0.40-0.97 respectively), while staying in a hotel, or an apartment were risk-factors (OR=2.40, 95%CI 1.30-4.43 and