Purpose: A health learning program relying on the scientific method was designed to promote reducing the intake of foods high in sugar, sodium and saturated fat in a group of school-aged children. Design/methodology/approach: The scientific method was a core approach for creating intervention activities. We conducted mixed-methods research…

Background: This study aimed to establish the effectiveness of a hypertension knowledge education intervention among Indian adolescents to foster lifestyle changes aimed at preventing hypertension. Methods: The Hypertension Knowledge Test (HKT) was used to assess changes in knowledge using a repeated-measures one-way analysis of variance (ANOVA).…

Background: Tooth avulsion is a common cause of tooth loss. However, there is a significant lack of knowledge about dental trauma and the appropriate emergency procedures to handle these cases. Aim: The aim of this study was to evaluate the educational effect of notebook covers illustrated with figures and informative texts about tooth avulsion…

Purpose: This study aims to examine the effectiveness of a whole-of-school approach by using the 4PC model (Active Policy, Active People, Active Program, Active Place, and Active Classroom) in improving physical activity and reducing sedentary behavior of school children in Thailand. Method: We employed a quasi-experimental cohort design in which…

Background: Most children do not eat enough fruits and vegetables (FV). Schools are a critical setting for supporting children to consume FV. To fill a gap in available materials, a classroom curriculum was developed and evaluated to determine impacts on student FV-related knowledge, attitudes, and behaviors. Methods: A pre-/post-intervention…

This study sought to address the large gap in the literature regarding parents' roles and views about physical education programs. Guided by Epstein's model of parental involvement, this study investigated the effect of increased parental involvement in a child's physical education program on parents' perceptions of that program. Participants…

This study evaluated feasibility, acceptability, and preliminary efficacy of a 12-week "Guys/Girls Opt for Activities for Life" (GOAL) intervention on 10- to 13-year-old adolescents' body mass index (BMI), percent body fat, physical activity (PA), diet quality, and psychosocial perceptions related to PA and healthy eating.…

Background: Most Canadian children do not meet daily recommendations for consumption of vegetables and fruits (V/F) and dairy products (DP). The aim of this study was to evaluate the impact of Team Nutriathlon on V/F and DP consumption of children. Methods: Participants were 404 children from grades 5 and 6 (intervention group [IG] N = 242,…

Background: School-based comprehensive sex education programs can reduce early adolescents' risky sexual behavior. The purpose of this study was to assess the effectiveness of a 3-year comprehensive sex education program in delaying vaginal sex for middle school students and whether the family component of the intervention contributes to its…

Dramatic changes occur in abstract reasoning, physical maturation, familial relationships and risk exposure during adolescence. It is probable that delivery of behavioral interventions addressing decision-making during the preadolescent period and later in adolescence would result in different impacts. We evaluated the intervention effects of an…

With an increasing amount of overweight children, especially among racial and ethnic minorities, effective population-level interventions are urgently needed (Wang et al., 2006). The purpose of this study was to provide insight into nutritional and physical activity intervention programs at a Connecticut public school in an urban setting.…

Sustaining effective school-based prevention programs is critical to improving youth and population-based health. This article reports on results from the Aban Aya Sustainability Project, an effort to sustain a school-based prevention program that was tested via a randomized trial and targeted violence, drug use, and risky sex-related behaviors…

The past two decades have seen a transformation in youth programming toward a comprehensive positive youth development (YD) framework. Cool Girls, Inc., a YD program, focuses on improving girls' life chances by promoting positive behaviors and attitudes in multiple domains. These include self-concept, academic orientation, future orientation, and…

Background: Professional sport organizations in the United States have notable celebrity status, and several teams have used this "star power" to collaborate with local school districts toward the goal of affecting children's health. Program effectiveness is unknown due to the absence of comprehensive evaluations for these initiatives.…

Goals for Health was a National Cancer Institute funded program designed to impact health behaviors of adolescents living in rural Virginia and New York. This study examined three specific objectives: (a) to examine participants' perceptions of the program components and the relationship between program components and overall program perception,…