Abstract
BackgroundMany factors can influence health behavior during adolescence, and the lifestyle of adolescents is associated with health behavior during adulthood. Therefore, their behavior can determine not only present, but also later health status.ObjectiveWe aimed to develop an intervention program to improve high school students' health behavior and to evaluate its effectiveness.MethodsWe performed our study at a secondary school in a rural town in East Hungary between 2016 and 2020. Sessions about healthy lifestyles were organized regularly for the intervention group to improve students' knowledge, to help them acquire the right skills and attitudes, and to shape their behavior accordingly. Data collection was carried out via self-administered, anonymous questionnaires (n = 192; boys = 49.5%; girls = 50.5%; age range: 14–16). To determine the intervention-specific effect, we took into account the differences between baseline and post-intervention status, and between the intervention and control groups using individual follow-up data. We used generalized estimating equations to assess the effectiveness of our health promotion program.ResultsOur health promotion program had a positive effect on the students' health-related knowledge and health behavior in the case of unhealthy eating, moderate to vigorous physical activity, and alcohol consumption.ConclusionOur findings suggest that school health promotion can be effective in knowledge transfer and lifestyle modification. To achieve a more positive impact on health behavior, preventive actions must use a complex approach during implementation.
Highlights
Adolescents’ health behavior changes with age; the vast majority of behaviors and habits acquired at this age persist into adulthood, so these behaviors determine present, and later health status.The health behavior of Hungarian school-age children is not very favorable in an international context
In addition to gender and age [1, 2], adolescents’ health and health behavior may be affected by their socioeconomic status and social relationships
The COMB model can be used as a theoretical framework for designing complex school health promotion programs
Summary
Adolescents’ health behavior changes with age; the vast majority of behaviors and habits acquired at this age persist into adulthood, so these behaviors determine present, and later health status.The health behavior of Hungarian school-age children is not very favorable in an international context. Hungarian children eat more unhealthily (less frequent breakfast, fruit and vegetables and more frequent sweets and sugared soft-drinks consumption) than their counterparts in other countries, with a higher proportion of regular smokers, drinkers, and those who are sexually active. Hungarian adolescents consider their health to be more unfavorable, and it is more common for them to be overweight and obese [1, 2]. Many factors can influence health behavior during adolescence, and the lifestyle of adolescents is associated with health behavior during adulthood Their behavior can determine present, and later health status
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