Evaluation of the NSTEP Level 1 Certificate Health Promotion Program

Authors

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.14288/hfjc.v17i3.851

Keywords:

Program Evaluation, Healthy Nutrition, Physical Fitness, Health Promotion, Theory of Planned Behaviour, Health Educators

Abstract

Background: Child and youth health is improved through a supported nutrition and physical activity  environment. NSTEP (Nutrition, Students, Teachers, Exercising with Parents), a health promotion organization, offers a certificate program designed to equip educators, community agencies, and adolescent groups with the knowledge and skills to promote healthy living among youth. Although the evaluation of health promotion programs is supported in the literature, evidence in youth programs is limited, likely due to a lack of resources. Purpose: The purpose was to evaluate participants’ behaviour changes related to nutrition and physical activity using the Theory of Planned Behaviour (TPB) following the completion of NSTEP's Certificate program. Methods: Participants from two locations voluntarily completed an online survey of 22 questions (knowledge section and the TPB) before the program started, which consisted of one 2-hour seminar for three weeks. A Wilcoxon test was used to analyze pre-post survey changes, as the variables were not normally distributed. Results: The pre-survey was completed by 30 participants, while 24 completed the post-survey (80%). Only 13 (43%; 13/30) responses from the completed pre-post surveys  could be matched. Most participants (n = 13) were between 18-34 yrs. (92%), had high school or above education (84.6%), and some experience (mean 2 years, ± 1) working with children and youth (6–18 yrs.). No significant differences were observed in the TPB constructs (attitudes, perceived behavioural control, subjective norms, and intentions), but a small improvement in knowledge occurred (p = 0.025). Conclusion: The program increased participants' knowledge but did not result in positive behavioural change differences.

Downloads

Download data is not yet available.

References

Ajzen, I. (1991). The theory of planned behavior. Organizational Behavior and Human Decision Processes. 50(2):179–211. https://doi.org/10.1016/0749-5978(91)90020-T

American Psychological Association. (2023, September 28). Diet and exercise for kids: Tips for acting boldly to create change. https://www.apa.org/topics/children/healthy-eating

Archila-Godínez, J. C., Chen, H., Klinestiver, L., Rosa, L., Barrett, T., Henley, S. C., & Feng, Y. (2022). An evaluation of a virtual food safety program for low-income families: Applying the theory of planned behavior. Foods, 11(3), 355. https://doi.org/10.3390/foods11030355

Arlinghaus, K. R., & Johnston, C. A. (2017). Advocating for behavior change with education. American Journal of Lifestyle Medicine, 12(2), 113–116. https://doi.org/10.1177/1559827617745479

Arrizabalaga-López, M., De Jáuregui, D. R., Portillo, M. P., Martínez, O., Etaio, I., Mauleón, J. R., Echevarría, E., Gómez, F., & Rodríguez, V. M. (2018). A randomised controlled trial of a program based on the theory of planned behavior to promote fruit and vegetable intake among schoolchildren: PROFRUVE study protocol. BMC Public Health, 18(1). https://doi.org/10.1186/s12889-018-5748-3

Barnes, C., McCrabb, S., Stacey, F., Nathan, N., Yoong, S. L., Grady, A., Sutherland, R., Hodder, R., Innes-Hughes, C., Davies, M., & Wolfenden, L. (2021). Improving implementation of school-based healthy eating and physical activity policies, practices, and programs: A systematic review. Translational Behavioral Medicine, 11(7), 1365-1410. https://doi.org/10.1093/tbm/ibab037

Berge, J. M., Larson, N., Bauer, K. W., & Neumark-Sztainer, D. (2011). Are parents of young children practicing healthy nutrition and physical activity behaviors? Pediatrics, 127(5), 881–887. https://doi.org/10.1542/peds.2010-3218

Collins, S. E., Witkiewitz, K., & Larimer, M. E. (2011). The theory of planned behavior as a predictor of growth in risky college drinking. Journal of Studies on Alcohol and Drugs, 72(2), 322–332. https://doi.org/10.15288/jsad.2011.72.322

Fishbein, M., & Ajzen, I. (2009). Predicting and changing behavior: The reasoned action approach (1st ed.). Psychology Press. https://doi.org/10.4324/9780203838020

Fung, C., Kuhle, S., Lu, C., Purcell, M., Schwartz, M., Storey, K., & Veugelers, P. J. (2012). From “best practice” to “next practice”: The effectiveness of school-based health promotion in improving healthy eating and physical activity and preventing childhood obesity. International Journal of Behavioral Nutrition and Physical Activity, 9(1). https://doi.org/10.1186/1479-5868-9-27

Geldhof, G. J., Warner, D. A., Finders, J. K., Thogmartin, A. A., Clark, A., & Longway, K. A. (2018). Revisiting the utility of retrospective pre-post designs: The need for mixed-method pilot data. Evaluation and Program Planning, 70, 83–89. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.evalprogplan.2018.05.002

Kim, T. K. (2015). T test as a parametric statistic. Korean Journal of Anesthesiology, 68(6), 540. https://doi.org/10.4097/kjae.2015.68.6.540

Marconi, S., Vezzoli, M., Locatelli, M., Bertolotti, P., Zanini, B., & Valerio, A. (2022). The role of primary school teachers’ nutrition training in healthy eating promotion. Health Education Journal, 81(5), 554–572. https://doi.org/10.1177/00178969221093714

Muppalla, S. K., Vuppalapati, S., Pulliahgaru, A. R., & Sreenivasulu, H. (2023). Effects of excessive screen time on child development: An updated review and strategies for management. Cureus. https://doi.org/10.7759/cureus.40608

Mitchell, C. (2004). Nutrition knowledge of high school athletes [MS thesis, West Virginia University]. https://doi.org/10.33915/etd.1986

Mohandas, K., Lalitha, P., Kumar, S. K., & Haridas, K. (2021). The effect of nutrition intervention based on a knowledge-attitude-practice questionnaire in the weight management of overweight and obese persons. IP Journal of Nutrition Metabolism and Health Science, 3(4), 124–131. https://doi.org/10.18231/j.ijnmhs.2020.025

Moitra, P., Verma, P., & Madan, J. (2021). Development and validation of a questionnaire measuring knowledge, attitudes, and practices (KAP) to healthy eating and activity patterns in school children (HEAPS). Nutrition and Health, 27(2), 199–209. https://doi.org/10.1177/0260106020982356

NSTEP. (2024a). About NSTEP. https://nstep.ca/about-nstep/

NSTEP. (2024b). NSTEP programs. https://nstep.ca

Nazni, P., & Vimala, S. (2010). Nutrition knowledge, attitude and practice of college sportsmen. Asian Journal of Sports Medicine, 1(2). https://doi.org/10.5812/asjsm.34866

Nurgul, K., Nursan, C., Dilek, K., Over, O. T., & Sevin, A. (2015). Effect of web-supported health education on knowledge of health and healthy-living behaviour of female staff in a Turkish university. Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention, 16(2), 489–494. https://doi.org/10.7314/apjcp.2015.16.2.489

Ouellette, J. A., & Wood, W. (1998). Habit and intention in everyday life: The multiple processes by which past behavior predicts future behavior. Psychological Bulletin, 124(1), 54–74. https://doi.org/10.1037/0033-2909.124.1.54

Pourmand, G., Doshmangir, L., Ahmadi, A., Noori, M., Rezaeifar, A., Mashhadi, R., Aziminia, R., Pourmand, A., & Gordeev, V. S. (2020). An application of the theory of planned behavior to self-care in patients with hypertension. BMC Public Health, 20(1). https://doi.org/10.1186/s12889-020-09385-y

Royston, J. P. (1983). Some techniques for assessing multivarate normality based on the Shapiro- Wilk W. Journal of the Royal Statistical Society Series C (Applied Statistics), 32(2), 121. https://doi.org/10.2307/2347291

Shahid, R., Naeem, A., Riaz, M. M. A., & Ehsan, S. B. (2020). Knowledge, attitude and practices regarding obesity among medical students in Faisalabad, Pakistan. Annals of Punjab Medical College, 14(1). https://doi.org/10.29054/apmc/2020.560

Sniehotta, F. F., Presseau, J., & Araújo-Soares, V. (2013). Time to retire the theory of planned behaviour. Health Psychology Review, 8(1), 1–7. https://doi.org/10.1080/17437199.2013.869710

Sothern, M. S. (2004). Obesity prevention in children: Physical activity and nutrition. Nutrition, 20(7–8), 704–708. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.nut.2004.04.007

Sutton, S. (1994). The past predicts the future: Interpreting behaviour–behaviour relationships in social psychological models of health behaviour. In D. R. Rutter & L. Quine (Eds.), Social psychology and health: European perspectives (pp. 71–88). Avebury/Ashgate Publishing Co.

Tsorbatzoudis, H. (2005). Evaluation of a planned behavior theory-based intervention programme to promote healthy eating. Perceptual and Motor Skills, 101(2), 587–604. https://doi.org/10.2466/pms.101.2.587-604

Valente, T. W. (2002). Evaluating health promotion programs. https://doi.org/10.1093/oso/9780195141764.001.0001

Wang, D., & Stewart, D. (2012). The implementation and effectiveness of school-based nutrition promotion programmes using a health-promoting schools approach: A systematic review. Public Health Nutrition, 16(6), 1082–1100. https://doi.org/10.1017/s1368980012003497

Wilcoxon, F. (1992). Individual comparisons by ranking methods. In Springer series in statistics (pp. 196–202). https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4612-4380-9_16

Worsley, A. (2002). Nutrition knowledge and food consumption: Can nutrition knowledge change food behaviour? Asia Pacific Journal of Clinical Nutrition, 11(s3). https://doi.org/10.1046/j.1440-6047.11.supp3.7.x

Downloads

Published

2024-09-30

How to Cite

Ajibulu, O., & Doyle-Baker, P. (2024). Evaluation of the NSTEP Level 1 Certificate Health Promotion Program. The Health & Fitness Journal of Canada, 17(3), 3–13. https://doi.org/10.14288/hfjc.v17i3.851

Issue

Vol. 17 No. 3 (2024)

Section

STUDENTS' CORNER

License

Copyright (c) 2024 Patricia Doyle-Baker, Olalekan Ajibulu

Creative Commons License

This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 International License.

Terms of Publication

Authors who publish with this journal agree to the following terms:

  • Authors retain copyright and grant the Health & Fitness Journal of Canada’s right of first publication with the work simultaneously licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution License that allows others to share the work with an acknowledgement of the work's authorship and initial publication in this journal.
  • Authors are able to enter into separate, additional contractual arrangements for the non-exclusive distribution of the journal's published version of the work (e.g., post it to an institutional repository or publish it in a book), with an acknowledgement of its initial publication in this journal.
  • Authors are permitted and encouraged to post their work online (e.g., in institutional repositories or on their website) prior to and during the submission process, as it can lead to productive exchanges, as well as earlier and greater citation of published work (See The Effect of Open Access).
  • The Contributor (author(s)) represents and guarantees that the Contributor is the sole proprietor of the work and the Contributor has full power to make this Agreement and grant that the work does not infringe the copyright or other proprietary right of any other person; and the work contains no libellous or other unlawful matter and makes no improper invasion of the privacy of any other person. The Contributor also represents and is responsible for the accuracy of the work.
  • The Contributor will read, correct, and return promptly galleys and page proofs to the Editor (or designate). The Contributor will be responsible for the completeness and accuracy of these corrections. If the Contributor does not return galleys and page proofs within the schedule agreed upon with the Editor (or designate), the Publisher may proceed without the Contributor corrections.
  • When applicable, the Contributor agrees to obtain written permissions and letters of agreement for all matter contained in the work that is protected by existing copyright, paying any permission fees for the use of text or illustrations controlled by others, and furnishing the Publisher with written evidence of the copyright owner’s authorization to use the material.
  • When applicable, the Contributor agrees to obtain written permission for inclusion of any photographic materials involving a human subject, and provide the Publisher with written evidence of the subject’s authorization to use this material. In the case of subjects who have not reached the age of majority, the Contributor agrees to obtain and furnish the Publisher with written permission from the parent and/or legal guardian.
  • The Contributor may draw on and refer to material in the work in preparing other articles for publication in scholarly and professional journals and papers for delivery at professional meetings, provided that credit is given to the work and to the Publisher.
  • This agreement may not be changed unless the Contributor and the Publisher agree to the change by means of a formal addendum signed by the Contributor and the Publisher’s representative.
  • This agreement shall be construed and governed according to the laws of the province of British Columbia and shall be binding upon the parties hereto, their heirs, successors, assigns, and personal representatives. Should any formal proceedings related to this agreement be brought, such formal proceeding may be brought only in the province of British Columbia.

By submitting an article to the Health & Fitness Journal of Canada the Contributor has accepted and agreed to all terms outlined in the copyright notice.