This study was undertaken in order to examine the relationship of control, perceived health status, self efficacy, social support, and demographic characteristics to health promoting lifestyle of nursing students, and to determine factors affecting health promoting lifestyle of nursing students. The subjects were 270 students of a single university in Busan. The instruments used for this study was a survey of general characteristics, health promoting lifestyle (47 items), control(8 items), perceived health status(6 items), self-efficacy(17 items), and social support(18 items). Data analysis was done by use of mean, percentage, t-test, ANOVA, Pearson Correlation coefficients and stepwise regression with a SPSS PC+ program. The results of this study are as follows : 1) The average item score for the health promoting lifestyle was less than 2.43. In the sub-categories, the highest degree of performance was interpersonal relationships (2.94) and the lowest degree was health responsibility(1.93). 2) Students who were older and higher scores in health responsibility and interpersonal support subscale. Students who had higher grade had higher scores in health support subscale. Students who had experienced disease had higher scores in health responsibility subscale. Students who had experienced exercise had higher scores in health responsibility, exercise and nutrition subscale. 3) Significant correlation between control and self-efficacy, self-efficacy and social support was found. 4) Significant correlations was found between most of the subscales and total health promoting lifestyle. 5) Social support revealed significant correlations with total health promoting lifestyle and all subscales of health promoting lifestyle. Control revealed significant correlations with total health promoting lifestyle and self actualization and health responsibility. Perceived health status revealed significant correlations only with the exercise and nutrition subscale. Self-efficacy revealed significant correlation with the total health promoting lifestyle and all subscales of health promoting lifestyle except exercise and nutrition, stress management subscale. 6) Social support was the highest factor predicting health promoting lifestyles of nursing students(31%). Social support, excercise self-efficacy and control accounted for 35% in health promoting lifestyle of nursing students.