Evaluation of a peer education program on student leaders’ energy balance-related behaviors
Abstract Background Few studies have reported energy balance-related behavior (EBRB) change for peer leaders delivering health promotion programs to younger students in secondary schools. Our study assessed the impact of the Students As LifeStyle Activists (SALSA) program on SALSA peer leaders’ EBRB...
| Main Authors: | , , , , , |
|---|---|
| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
| Published: |
BMC
2017-09-01
|
| Series: | BMC Public Health |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | http://link.springer.com/article/10.1186/s12889-017-4707-8 |
| _version_ | 1818194632073281536 |
|---|---|
| author | B. C. Foley V. A. Shrewsbury L. L. Hardy V. M. Flood K. Byth S. Shah |
| author_facet | B. C. Foley V. A. Shrewsbury L. L. Hardy V. M. Flood K. Byth S. Shah |
| author_sort | B. C. Foley |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Abstract Background Few studies have reported energy balance-related behavior (EBRB) change for peer leaders delivering health promotion programs to younger students in secondary schools. Our study assessed the impact of the Students As LifeStyle Activists (SALSA) program on SALSA peer leaders’ EBRBs, and their intentions regarding these behaviors. Methods We used a pre–post study design to assess changes in EBRBs and intentions of Year 10 secondary school students (15–16 year olds) who volunteered to be peer leaders to deliver the SALSA program to Year 8 students (13–14 year olds). This research is part of a larger study conducted during 2014 and 2015 in 23 secondary schools in Sydney, Australia. We used an online questionnaire before and after program participation to assess Year 10 peer leaders’ fruit and vegetable intake, daily breakfast eating, sugar sweetened beverage (SSB) intake, moderate-to-vigorous physical activity (MVPA) participation and school-day recreational screen time behaviors and intentions regarding these EBRBs. Generalized estimating equations with a robust variance structure and exchangeable correlation structure were used to estimate the individual-level summary statistics and their 95% CIs, adjusted for clustering. We further assessed the effect of covariates on EBRB changes. Results There were significant increases in the proportion of Year 10 peer leaders (n = 415) who reported eating ≥2 serves fruit/day fruit from 54 to 63% (P < 0.01); eating ≥5 serves vegetables/day from 8 to 12% (P < 0.01); and drinking <1 cup/day of SSBs from 56 to 62% (P < 0.01). Change in ≥60 min MVPA participation/day depended on gender (P < 0.01): Boys increased 14% while girls decreased −2%. Changes in eating breakfast daily also depended on gender (P < 0.004): Boys increased 13% while girls decreased −0.4%. The change in peer leaders recreational screen time differed by socio-economic status (P < 0.05): above average communities decreased by −2.9% while below average communities increased 6.0%. Significant shifts were seen in peer leaders’ intentions, except MVPA which remained stable. Conclusions The SALSA program had a positive impact on peer leaders’ EBRBs, with gender and socio-economic status moderating some outcomes. Trial registration ACTRN12617000712303 retrospectively registered. |
| first_indexed | 2024-12-12T01:05:22Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-655dea157e3741f6b73b9d9db416bfc9 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 1471-2458 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-12-12T01:05:22Z |
| publishDate | 2017-09-01 |
| publisher | BMC |
| record_format | Article |
| series | BMC Public Health |
| spelling | doaj.art-655dea157e3741f6b73b9d9db416bfc92022-12-22T00:43:35ZengBMCBMC Public Health1471-24582017-09-011711810.1186/s12889-017-4707-8Evaluation of a peer education program on student leaders’ energy balance-related behaviorsB. C. Foley0V. A. Shrewsbury1L. L. Hardy2V. M. Flood3K. Byth4S. Shah5Western Sydney Local Health DistrictSydney Medical School, The University of SydneySydney Medical School, The University of SydneyWestern Sydney Local Health DistrictSydney Medical School, The University of SydneyWestern Sydney Local Health DistrictAbstract Background Few studies have reported energy balance-related behavior (EBRB) change for peer leaders delivering health promotion programs to younger students in secondary schools. Our study assessed the impact of the Students As LifeStyle Activists (SALSA) program on SALSA peer leaders’ EBRBs, and their intentions regarding these behaviors. Methods We used a pre–post study design to assess changes in EBRBs and intentions of Year 10 secondary school students (15–16 year olds) who volunteered to be peer leaders to deliver the SALSA program to Year 8 students (13–14 year olds). This research is part of a larger study conducted during 2014 and 2015 in 23 secondary schools in Sydney, Australia. We used an online questionnaire before and after program participation to assess Year 10 peer leaders’ fruit and vegetable intake, daily breakfast eating, sugar sweetened beverage (SSB) intake, moderate-to-vigorous physical activity (MVPA) participation and school-day recreational screen time behaviors and intentions regarding these EBRBs. Generalized estimating equations with a robust variance structure and exchangeable correlation structure were used to estimate the individual-level summary statistics and their 95% CIs, adjusted for clustering. We further assessed the effect of covariates on EBRB changes. Results There were significant increases in the proportion of Year 10 peer leaders (n = 415) who reported eating ≥2 serves fruit/day fruit from 54 to 63% (P < 0.01); eating ≥5 serves vegetables/day from 8 to 12% (P < 0.01); and drinking <1 cup/day of SSBs from 56 to 62% (P < 0.01). Change in ≥60 min MVPA participation/day depended on gender (P < 0.01): Boys increased 14% while girls decreased −2%. Changes in eating breakfast daily also depended on gender (P < 0.004): Boys increased 13% while girls decreased −0.4%. The change in peer leaders recreational screen time differed by socio-economic status (P < 0.05): above average communities decreased by −2.9% while below average communities increased 6.0%. Significant shifts were seen in peer leaders’ intentions, except MVPA which remained stable. Conclusions The SALSA program had a positive impact on peer leaders’ EBRBs, with gender and socio-economic status moderating some outcomes. Trial registration ACTRN12617000712303 retrospectively registered.http://link.springer.com/article/10.1186/s12889-017-4707-8AdolescentsPeer educationSecondary schoolsEnergy balance-related behaviorIntervention |
| spellingShingle | B. C. Foley V. A. Shrewsbury L. L. Hardy V. M. Flood K. Byth S. Shah Evaluation of a peer education program on student leaders’ energy balance-related behaviors BMC Public Health Adolescents Peer education Secondary schools Energy balance-related behavior Intervention |
| title | Evaluation of a peer education program on student leaders’ energy balance-related behaviors |
| title_full | Evaluation of a peer education program on student leaders’ energy balance-related behaviors |
| title_fullStr | Evaluation of a peer education program on student leaders’ energy balance-related behaviors |
| title_full_unstemmed | Evaluation of a peer education program on student leaders’ energy balance-related behaviors |
| title_short | Evaluation of a peer education program on student leaders’ energy balance-related behaviors |
| title_sort | evaluation of a peer education program on student leaders energy balance related behaviors |
| topic | Adolescents Peer education Secondary schools Energy balance-related behavior Intervention |
| url | http://link.springer.com/article/10.1186/s12889-017-4707-8 |
| work_keys_str_mv | AT bcfoley evaluationofapeereducationprogramonstudentleadersenergybalancerelatedbehaviors AT vashrewsbury evaluationofapeereducationprogramonstudentleadersenergybalancerelatedbehaviors AT llhardy evaluationofapeereducationprogramonstudentleadersenergybalancerelatedbehaviors AT vmflood evaluationofapeereducationprogramonstudentleadersenergybalancerelatedbehaviors AT kbyth evaluationofapeereducationprogramonstudentleadersenergybalancerelatedbehaviors AT sshah evaluationofapeereducationprogramonstudentleadersenergybalancerelatedbehaviors |