Knowledge, attitudes, and practices of Jamaican secondary school students regarding health and fitness - abstract

ABSTRACT

Improvements in lifestyles, particularly weight control, dietary practices, exercise habits and self esteem in youth have been found to lessen the probability of obesity, diabetes mellitus, hypertension and heart attack in adulthood. A school-based project is being implemented to test this in the Caribbean. Baseline data on knowledge, attitudes, and practice of 2,910 students were collected from 2 intervention and 2 Secondary/High Schools. Sixteen (16) percent of the children thought that they were too thin while 13 percent thought they were too fat. Only 44 percent said that they knew how to accurately measure their weight and height. However, 82 percent wanted to know how to maintain desirable weights. Seventy-one (71) percent thought that weighing was related to health. Forty-nine (49) percent believed that weighing right is healthy while 51 percent and 36 percent thought that being too fat and too thin, respectively, can lead to ill health. Sixty-one (61) percent of the sample thought that eating right meant having the right type and amount of food. Fifty (50) percent usually had three (3) meals per day while 32 percent ate as many times as possible. Sixty-seven (67) percent, 62 percent and 53 percent of the students said that sweet, greasy and salty foods, respectively, are unhealthy. Thirty (30) percent of the sample usually add salt ot prepared food while 33 percent did so occasionally. Ninety-one (91) percent of the sample thought it important for everyone to exercise. However, only 28 percent exercised regularly. Sixty-three (63) percent of the students belonged to groups either at school or in their communities. Ninety-five (95) percent thought it was all right to feel good about themselves, and 71 percent considered themselves worthwhile. These results are useful not only in determining the nature of the intervention needed to facilitate the desired changes in lifestyles, but also in identifying variables which may serve as bases for future evaluations (AU)