Student public commitment in a school-based diabetes prevention project: impact on physical health and health behavior.

ABSTRACT:

Background

As concern about youth obesity continues to mount, there is increasing consideration of widespread policy changes to support improved nutritional and enhanced physical activity offerings in schools. A critical element in the success of such programs may be to involve students as spokespeople for the program. Making such a public commitment to healthy lifestyle program targets (improved nutrition and enhanced physical activity) may potentiate healthy behavior changes among such students and provide a model for their peers. This paper examines whether student's "public commitment"--voluntary participation as a peer communicator or in student-generated media opportunities--in a school-based intervention to prevent diabetes and reduce obesity predicted improved study outcome

SUBMITTER: DeBar LL 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC3189889 | biostudies-literature | 2011 Sep

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature