Back to Annual Meeting Page		American Public Health Association 133rd Annual Meeting & Exposition December 10-14, 2005 Philadelphia, PA

Abstract #116114

Karrie Kalich, MS, RD¹, Virginia R. Chomitz, PhD², Rick Bell, EdD¹, Robert McGowan, PhD³, and Aviva Must, PhD⁴. (1) Friedman School of Nutrition, Science and Policy, Tufts University, 150 Harrison Avenue, Tufts, MA 02111, 617-636-0446, kkalich@keene.edu, (2) Institute for Community Health, 119 Windsor St., Ground Level, Cambridge, MA 02139, (3) Cambridge Rindge and Latin High School,Physical Education Department, Cambridge Public Schools, 459 Broadway, Cambridge, MA 02138, (4) Dept. of Public Health and Family Medicine, Tufts University School of Medicine, 136 Harrison Avenue, Boston, MA 02111

As child obesity escalates, promoting physical activity and healthy eating has become significant public health goals. We used the Theory of Planned Behavior (TPB) to predict students' intention to consume “5” servings of fruits and vegetables, watch no more than “2” hours of television, and perform “1” hour of physical activity each day—recommendations that constitute the “5-2-1” campaign.

637 5-8th grade students in an ethnically-diverse, urban school district reported their intention to perform the “5-2-1” behaviors. Surveys assessed student attitudes towards the behaviors (health beliefs), social norms (influence of caregivers and peers) and their perceived behavioral control.

Intention to perform all three “5-2-1” behaviors was predicted by students' positive beliefs about the behaviors, encouragement from caregivers and peers to adopt the behavior, and students' feelings of having control over their ability to perform the “5-2-1” behaviors (p<0.05). Compared to students without these attributes, students with positive beliefs were 3.0 times more likely to perform the “5-2-1” behaviors (95%CI 2.2-4.1), those with encouragement from caregivers 1.7 times (95%CI 1.4-2.0), those with encouragement from peers 1.5 times (95%CI 1.3-1.8), and those feeling in control 1.9 times (95%CI 1.5-2.6) more likely.

Overall, components of the TPB were shown to predict middle school students' intentions to engage in “5-2-1” behaviors. These findings could inform public policy, school-, and family-based strategies on how to promote healthful weight management activities among children and highlight the importance of family and peers in encouraging healthy behaviors, and having control over access to fruits, vegetables, and physical activities.

Learning Objectives:

• Develop a basic understanding of the application of the Theory of Planned Behavior to the intention to perform the “5-2-1” behavior.
• Appreciate the impact of attitude toward behavior, subjective norm and perceived behavioral control on the intention to perform the “5-2-1” behaviors.
• Understand how the components of the Theory of Planned Behavior can inform healthful weight management activities among children.

Keywords: Obesity, Adolescents

Presenting author's disclosure statement:

I wish to disclose that I have NO financial interests or other relationship with the manufactures of commercial products, suppliers of commercial services or commercial supporters.