An exploration of healthy eating and physical activity habits of Hmong high-school students by disability status: A pilot study

This pilot study aimed to evaluate the effectiveness of a Gamification-based intervention on physical activity levels of High School students. This quasi experimental study was conducted in two federal high schools in Southern Brazil. One class from each school was selected to be either intervention (INT) or control (CON) group. Experiment duration was two weeks, and both groups downloaded My Active Life app. INT group (n = 69) participants received daily app alerts with messages of encouragement to practice physical activity. They also received a score based on the percentage of goal achieved. CON group (n = 35) only had access to total number of steps per day. INT group showed a lower decrease in physical activity at school compared to CON group (p = 0.024). No effect of intervention was observed in physical activity out of school (p = 0.911). Gamification-based intervention prevented a decrease in physical activity at school among male (F = 10.680; p = 0.004), students at first half of high school (F = 12.668; p = 0.002), and adequate body mass index (F = 4.640; p = 0.037), and with lower perception of barriers to physical activity (F = 5.437; p = 0.024). Although we did not observe an increase in physical activity at school, gamification-based intervention may mitigate its decrease among adolescents.

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Development of an Intervention Targeting Multiple Health Behaviors Among High School Students: Participatory Design Study Using Heuristic Evaluation and Usability Testing (Preprint)

10.2196/preprints.17999 ◽

2020 ◽

Author(s):

Ulrika Müssener ◽

Kristin Thomas ◽

Catharina Linderoth ◽

Marie Löf ◽

Katarina Åsberg ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Physical Activity ◽

High School ◽

Smoking Cessation ◽

High School Students ◽

Health Behaviors ◽

Healthy Eating ◽

Usability Testing ◽

Heuristic Evaluation ◽

School Students ◽

Mhealth Intervention

BACKGROUND Mobile electronic platforms provide exciting possibilities for health behavior promotion. For instance, they can promote smoking cessation, moderate alcohol consumption, healthy eating, and physical activity. Young adults in Sweden are proficient in the use of technology, having been exposed to computers, smartphones, and the internet from an early age. However, with the high availability of mobile health (mHealth) interventions of varying quality, it is critical to optimize the usability of mHealth interventions to ensure long-term use of these health promotion interventions. OBJECTIVE This study aims to investigate the usability of an mHealth intervention (LIFE4YOUth) targeting health behaviors among high school students through heuristic evaluation and usability testing. METHODS A preliminary version of the LIFE4YOUth mHealth intervention, which was aimed at promoting healthy eating, physical activity, smoking cessation, and nonrisky drinking among high school students, was developed in early 2019. We completed a total of 15 heuristic evaluations and 5 usability tests to evaluate the usability of the mHealth intervention prototype to improve its functioning, content, and design. RESULTS Heuristic evaluation from a total of 15 experts (10 employees and 5 university students, both women and men, aged 18-25 years) revealed that the major usability problems and the worst ratings, a total of 17 problems termed <i>usability catastrophes</i>, concerned shortcomings in displaying easy-to-understand information to the users or technical errors. The results of the usability testing including 5 high school students (both girls and boys, aged 15-18 years) showed that the design, quality, and quantity of content in the intervention may impact the users’ level of engagement. Poor functionality was considered a major barrier to usability. Of the 5 participants, one rated the LIFE4YOUth intervention as poor, 2 rated as average, and 2 assessed it as good, according to the System Usability Scale. CONCLUSIONS High school students have high expectations of digital products. If an mHealth intervention does not offer optimal functions, they may cease to use it. Optimizing the usability of mHealth interventions is a critical step in the development process. Heuristic evaluation and usability testing in this study provided valuable knowledge about the prototype from a user’s perspective. The findings may lead to the development of similar interventions targeting the high school population.

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Health-oriented behaviours of secondary school students – a student and teacher evaluation/ Zachowania prozdrowotne młodzieży licealnej w ocenie uczniów i ich nauczycieli

HIGHER SCHOOL’S PULSE ◽

10.5604/01.3001.0010.5039 ◽

2017 ◽

Vol 11 (3) ◽

pp. 40-44

Author(s):

Dorota Hraca

Keyword(s):

Physical Activity ◽

High School ◽

High School Students ◽

Secondary School ◽

Healthy Eating ◽

Eating Habits ◽

School Students ◽

Physically Active ◽

Healthy Habits ◽

Healthy Eating Habits

Introduction: Health-oriented behaviours are actions taken to promote health and to prevent illness. These are behaviours whose purpose is to improve the environment around the human being, and thus to create conditions conducive to healthy living. Aim of the study: The aim of the study was to investigate the real patterns of health-oriented behaviours among high school students and to evaluate these behaviours in students and teachers. Material and methods: The study included 100 students (16-19 years of age) attending a general secondary school and 30 teachers employed at the same institution. The author chose to conduct a diagnostic survey with the use of a questionnaire. The research tool used in the study was a questionnaire prepared by the author, containing 12 questions, addressed to both students and teachers. The questionnaire was based on four research themes: eating habits of high school students, frequency with which they undertake physical activity, manners of dealing with stress, and ways in which they affect the behavior of their peers. Results: The results of the study indicate that young people of today are more aware of health-oriented behaviors. Studies have shown that 92% (92) of students are physically active, 77% (77) consider they have healthy eating habits; 90% (90) of the students stated that they cope with stress by listening to music and taking part in sport. The vast majority (as many as 84% (84)), think that stimulants are very harmful. The teachers considered that most of the students have healthy habits. Conclusions: The knowledge of high school students about health-oriented behaviors is satisfactory. Most students put this knowledge into practice through physical activity, healthy eating, avoiding drugs, and finding ways to cope with stress. According to the teachers, students are fully aware of positive and negative phenomena related to health and of how they can affect them.

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Methods and Participant Characteristics of a Randomized Intervention to Promote Physical Activity and Healthy Eating Among Brazilian High School Students: The Saude na Boa Project

Journal of Physical Activity and Health ◽

10.1123/jpah.6.2.153 ◽

2009 ◽

Vol 6 (2) ◽

pp. 153-162 ◽

Cited By ~ 16

Author(s):

Markus V. Nahas ◽

Mauro V. G. de Barros ◽

Maria Alice A. de Assis ◽

Pedro C. Hallal ◽

Alex A. Florindo ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Physical Activity ◽

High School ◽

High School Students ◽

Healthy Eating ◽

Randomized Study ◽

School Students ◽

School Year ◽

School Based ◽

Randomized Intervention ◽

And Control

Background:A cross-cultural, randomized study was proposed to observe the effects of a school-based intervention designed to promote physical activity and healthy eating among high school students in 2 cities from different regions in Brazil: Recife and Florianopolis. The objective of this article is to describe the methodology and subjects enrolled in the project.Methods:Ten schools from each region were matched and randomized into intervention and control conditions. A questionnaire and anthropometry were used to collect data in the first and last month of the 2006 school year. The sample (n = 2155 at baseline; 55.7% females; 49.1% in the experimental group) included students 15 to 24 years, attending nighttime classes. The intervention focused on simple environmental/organizational changes, diet and physical activity education, and personnel training.Results:The central aspects of the intervention have been implemented in all 10 intervention schools. Problems during the intervention included teachers’ strikes in both sites and lack of involvement of the canteen owners in schools.Conclusions:The Saude na Boa study provides evidence that public high schools in Brazil represent an important environment for health promotion. Its design and simple measurements increase the chances of it being sustained and disseminated to similar schools in Brazil.

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Development of an Intervention Targeting Multiple Health Behaviors Among High School Students: Participatory Design Study Using Heuristic Evaluation and Usability Testing

JMIR mhealth and uhealth ◽

10.2196/17999 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 8 (10) ◽

pp. e17999

Author(s):

Ulrika Müssener ◽

Kristin Thomas ◽

Catharina Linderoth ◽

Marie Löf ◽

Katarina Åsberg ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Physical Activity ◽

High School ◽

Smoking Cessation ◽

High School Students ◽

Health Behaviors ◽

Healthy Eating ◽

Usability Testing ◽

Heuristic Evaluation ◽

School Students ◽

Mhealth Intervention

Background Mobile electronic platforms provide exciting possibilities for health behavior promotion. For instance, they can promote smoking cessation, moderate alcohol consumption, healthy eating, and physical activity. Young adults in Sweden are proficient in the use of technology, having been exposed to computers, smartphones, and the internet from an early age. However, with the high availability of mobile health (mHealth) interventions of varying quality, it is critical to optimize the usability of mHealth interventions to ensure long-term use of these health promotion interventions. Objective This study aims to investigate the usability of an mHealth intervention (LIFE4YOUth) targeting health behaviors among high school students through heuristic evaluation and usability testing. Methods A preliminary version of the LIFE4YOUth mHealth intervention, which was aimed at promoting healthy eating, physical activity, smoking cessation, and nonrisky drinking among high school students, was developed in early 2019. We completed a total of 15 heuristic evaluations and 5 usability tests to evaluate the usability of the mHealth intervention prototype to improve its functioning, content, and design. Results Heuristic evaluation from a total of 15 experts (10 employees and 5 university students, both women and men, aged 18-25 years) revealed that the major usability problems and the worst ratings, a total of 17 problems termed usability catastrophes, concerned shortcomings in displaying easy-to-understand information to the users or technical errors. The results of the usability testing including 5 high school students (both girls and boys, aged 15-18 years) showed that the design, quality, and quantity of content in the intervention may impact the users’ level of engagement. Poor functionality was considered a major barrier to usability. Of the 5 participants, one rated the LIFE4YOUth intervention as poor, 2 rated as average, and 2 assessed it as good, according to the System Usability Scale. Conclusions High school students have high expectations of digital products. If an mHealth intervention does not offer optimal functions, they may cease to use it. Optimizing the usability of mHealth interventions is a critical step in the development process. Heuristic evaluation and usability testing in this study provided valuable knowledge about the prototype from a user’s perspective. The findings may lead to the development of similar interventions targeting the high school population.

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Knowledge, Attitude and Practice on Physical Activity in High School Students of a Rural Residential School of Gadag District

International Journal of Preventive Curative & Community Medicine ◽

10.24321/2454.325x.201806 ◽

2018 ◽

Vol 04 (01) ◽

pp. 27-32

Author(s):

Vasundara S Gayakwad ◽

Keyword(s):

Physical Activity ◽

High School ◽

High School Students ◽

Residential School ◽

School Students ◽

Attitude And Practice ◽

Knowledge Attitude And Practice

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High school students’ academic performance associated with psychological aspects, body practices and physical activity

Journal of Physical Education ◽

10.4025/jphyseduc.v31i1.3137 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 31 (1) ◽

Author(s):

Guilherme da Silva Gasparotto ◽

Aline Bichels ◽

Thaynara do Prado Szeremeta ◽

Gislaine Cristina Vagetti ◽

Valdomiro de Oliveira

Keyword(s):

Physical Activity ◽

High School ◽

Academic Performance ◽

High School Students ◽

Extracurricular Activities ◽

Self Concept ◽

School Students ◽

The Mean ◽

Body Practices ◽

Academic Self Efficacy

The objective of this study was to verify the association of psychological factors and body practices with the academic performance of high school students. A sample of 330 students participated, made up of 167 girls and 163 boys. Likert scale instruments were used for collecting information on self-concept, and on general and academic self-efficacy. Time spent on moderate to vigorous physical activity was recorded, and so was participation in several types of body practices, such as sports, dances, martial arts, performing arts, and systematic physical exercises. Academic achievement was referred to from the students' grades on regular subjects. Linear regression analysis was used for verifying the association of independent variables with academic performance. The adjusted regression model explains between 7% and 36% of academic performance variance, whereas Self-Concept explains academic performance on six of the twelve subjects, and the mean of the grades, with Beta values between 0.13 (p = 0.02) for Sociology and 0.28 (p <0.01) for Mathematics. Academic self-efficacy explained performance on eleven subjects and the mean of the grades, with Beta values between 0.21 (p <0.01) for Physical Education and Philosophy, and 0.44 (p <0.01) for Biology. Participation in extracurricular activities involving body practices explained academic performance on six subjects and the mean of the grades, with Beta values between 0.14 (p = 0.02) for Sociology and 0.31 (p <0.01) for Arts. The studied psychological variables and participation in projects concerning body practices during extracurricular activities correlated with academic achievement as to several school subjects, and with the mean of the grades.

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