Policies

Educational Sessions for Physical activity and Healthy Eating

This evidence is based on a Randomized Controlled trial (RCT) conducted with 344 female students in Hamadan, west of Iran.

Context and Issue

Background: In this study, the focus is on addressing the decline in regular physical activity (RPA) among adolescents, particularly middle school girls, who often fail to meet the WHO's recommended 60 minutes of daily physical activity. By implementing theory-based interventions tailored to the age-related decline in RPA, the aim is to assess the effectiveness of educational programs. These programs, rooted in the PRECEDE and Trans-Theoretical models, aim to prevent further decline in RPA and enhance physical activity levels among 7th-grade female students.

Intervention Program

A training program based on the PRECEDE and TTM models was implemented to promote regular physical activity (RPA) in adolescents, including lectures, group discussions, and practical training sessions over 2 months. Reinforcing factors such as workout CDs and reminder bracelets were used to encourage RPA adherence, while friendship teams and PA exhibitions created supportive environments. Additionally, educating sessions for teachers, school staff, and parents emphasized the importance of RPA and provided supportive materials. Ethical considerations were addressed, with the control group receiving educational materials and a session after the study's completion.

Impact 

The intervention group showed significantly higher increases in mean scores for self-efficacy (0.86), counter condition (0.66), and helping relationship (0.57) compared to the control group (P≤0.001). After 6 months, there was a significant difference (P ≤ 0.01) between the two groups across all model constructs. The mean score for physical activity in the intervention group rose from 2.50 to 3.17, a significant difference compared to the control group (P≤0.001). In conclusion, implementing a school-based intervention utilizing the PRECEDE and Trans-Theoretical models can prevent declines in physical activity among female students and improve their overall activity levels.

Analysis

The results from the RCT are encouraging. However, it is important to acknowledge that these results are not generalizable across different contexts. More experiments in diverse environments and contexts need to be conducted to ensure the experiment's external validity.