Background. Lack of adherence to dietary and physical activity guidelines has been linked to an increase in chronic diseases in the United States (US). The aim of this study was to assess the association of lifestyle behaviors with self-rated health (SRH). Methods. This cross-sectional study used self-reported data from Living for Health Program ( 1,701) which was conducted from 2008 to 2012 in 190 health fair events in South Florida, US. Results. Significantly higher percent of females as compared to males were classified as obese (35.4% versus 27.0%), reported poor/fair SRH (23.4% versus 15.0%), and were less physically active (33.9% versus 25.4%). Adjusted logistic regression models indicated that both females and males were more likely to report poor/fair SRH if they consumed 2 servings of fruits and vegetables per day (, 95% CI 1.30–3.54; , 95% CI 1.12–7.35, resp.) and consumed mostly high fat foods (, 95% CI 1.03–2.43; , 95% CI 1.67–2.43, resp.). The association of SRH with less physical activity was only significant in females (, 95% CI 1.17–2.35). Conclusion. Gender differences in health behaviors should be considered in designing and monitoring lifestyle interventions to prevent cardiovascular diseases. 1. Introduction Self-evaluation of general health status has been associated with actual health in that what people report about their health has been shown to predict mortality [1]. Self-rated health (SRH) as a single survey question developed by the World Health Organization (WHO) [2] has been validated as a tool to predict mortality in populations with and without cardiovascular diseases [1–3] and functional ability [4, 5]. Asking participants to describe their overall health on a five-point scale (ranging from excellent to poor) has achieved popularity as a health-indicating tool in the United States (US) and other countries [6, 7]. Health is largely influenced by modifiable risk factors such as diet and physical activity [8]. Noncommunicable diseases are the leading causes of death globally [9]. Worldwide, noncommunicable diseases (cancer, cardiovascular diseases, diabetes, and chronic lung diseases) are largely attributed to four main behavioral factors: tobacco use, unhealthy diet, insufficient physical activity, and harmful alcohol use [9]. Poor health for persons with chronic diseases has been attributed largely to a lack of adherence to medical recommendations which include diet and physical activity. High consumption of fruits and vegetables resulted in a lower incidence of cardiovascular disease in nurses and health professionals in
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