How to successfully promote health among 13 year old boys and girls

Abstract

Sedentary lifestyles are an increasing problem in today's society. As health behaviors established in adolescence often are persistent into adulthood it is of crucial importance to gain knowledge about the factors that influence positive health. The purpose of this study was to examine how predisposition factors, motivational factors and behavior factors were related to the experience of initiative in order to successfully promote positive health development for 13 year old boys and girls. The study used data from Norwegian 13- year olds (n = 1195) participating in the 2005/2006 Health Behavior in School-aged Children study. Two-way ANOVA's, frequency analysis, correlation analysis and multiple regression analysis were performed. There were gender differences related to body image, achievement motivation and amount of physical activity. The experience of initiative for boys and girls was predicted by achievement motivation, health motivation, social motivation and amount of physical activity. Body image did not predict initiative for either boys or girls, but socio economical status did predict initiative feelings for girls.