Development of the Ahli Toolkit: An Evidence-Based Framework for Athlete Healthy Lifestyle Assessment and Behavior Change Publisher



Dehghani E ; Karimi K ; Torki F ; Taleb Z ; Barghi TS ; Memari AH
Source: Lifestyle Medicine Published:2026

Abstract

Background: Athletes face multifaceted challenges across physical, psychological, and social domains that impact both performance and well-being. Although a healthy lifestyle is a key factor in athletic success and recovery, current lifestyle assessment tools fall short in capturing the complete scope of interconnected domains of an athlete's health. Objective: This study aimed to develop and validate the Athletes’ Healthy Lifestyle Index (AHLI) as a multidimensional toolkit integrating lifestyle medicine and athlete well-being frameworks to assess and enhance athlete lifestyle behaviors comprehensively. Methods: The AHLI was developed through a rigorous five-stage process: theoretical model development, module selection via Delphi rounds, precise definition of toolkit components, design and structural planning, and comprehensive user evaluation. Additionally, both the external and concurrent validity of the toolkit were confirmed through comprehensive expert reviews and a pilot study involving 95 female taekwondo athletes. Results: The tool exhibited robust content validity, as indicated by strong content validity ratio/content validity index metrics, alongside moderate external validity (r = 0.368, p = 0.007). Moreover, a significant inverse correlation with stress (r = –0.249, p = 0.015) reinforces its empirical soundness. In pilot testing, 74.7% of participants scored in the moderate lifestyle range, and the tool was deemed comprehensive, intuitive, and actionable. Conclusion: The AHLI provides a holistic, validated framework for evaluating lifestyle behaviors. It might support performance optimization, injury prevention, and mental well-being through structured assessment and feedback. © 2026 The Author(s). Lifestyle Medicine published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd.