Adolescents’ Self-Efficacy Toward Healthy Lifestyle Behaviors After Attending a School-Based Intervention Course Focused On Physical Activity and Healthy Eating

Obesity and overweight have become a serious concern in children and adolescents. The prevalence of overweight is increasing: for children aged 2 to 5 years from 5.0 to 13. 9 percent; for those aged 6 to 11 years from 6.5 to 18.8 percent; and for 12 to 19 years from 5.0 to 17.4 percent {1}. Programs that can assist in preventing or decreasing this trend are needed. As more weight loss intervention programs are being implemented in schools, health professionals and teachers need to look at the student’s level of self-efficacy before starting the program. The aim of this study was to assess the high school students’ level of self-efficacy toward healthy lifestyle behaviors before and after the implementation of a school-based intervention program designed to improve physical activity and healthy eating habits through lifestyle modifications. A summer wellness program was created to be offered at a Central Ohio High School. Of the 93 students aged 13-18 years enrolled in the course, 82 participated in the study by returning signed parental permission forms. A pre- and post-survey instrument was developed and given to the students to measure self-efficacy toward healthy eating and physical activity, and changes in diet and physical activity habits. Twenty-one items were developed to measure self-efficacy toward healthy eating and physical activity. The specific areas of self-efficacy to be measured included physical activity (five items), nutrition choices (six items), social pressure (five items), and positive activities (four items). Self-efficacy towards physical activity, nutrition choices, social pressure, and positive activities showed a significant increase from the pre- to post-test (p<.05). The first measure of total self-efficacy in physical activity subscale had the highest mean score of 71.9% in the pre-test and 78.9% in the post-test indicating that the students’ have a high level of confidence in their ability to do physical activity. The measure of total self-efficacy in nutrition choices subscale showed the greatest improvement by having a mean of 65.1% in the pre-test and a 78.0% in the post-test showing a 12.9% difference. The measure of total self-efficacy in social pressure had a mean of 61.7% in the pre-test and had a mean of 74.2% in the post-test. The measure of total self-efficacy in positive activities subscale had a mean of 67.3% in the pre-test and had a mean of 74.0% in the post-test.Results from this study suggest that a wellness-based school program focusing on lifestyle modifications through nutrition education and physical education does increase an adolescent’s level of self-efficacy toward healthy lifestyle behaviors. More specifically, the results showed that the students’ self-efficacy level increased the most from the pre-test to post-test with nutrition choices and social pressures. This means that this program helped the students overcome the barriers of making poor lifestyle choices just because their peers are making these choices because they want to fit in. The data shows that utilizing an intervention technique like this wellness-based program does have positive results in raising an adolescents’ drive to want to make healthier lifestyle choices to help prevent obesity.