The Forgotten Age Phase of Healthy Lifestyle Promotion? A Preliminary Study to Examine the Potential Call for Targeted Physical Activity and Nutrition Education for Older Adolescents

Kristy Howells and Tara Coppinger
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Kristy Howells: Department of Sport, Exercise and Rehabilitation Sciences, School of Psychology and Life Sciences, Faculty of Science, Engineering and Social Sciences, Canterbury Christ Church University, Canterbury CT1 1QU, UK
Tara Coppinger: Department of Sport, Leisure and Childhood Studies, Faculty of Business and Humanities, Munster Technological University, T12 P928 Cork, Ireland

IJERPH, 2022, vol. 19, issue 10, 1-19

Abstract: To date, little research on healthy lifestyle promotion has focused on older adolescents (16–18-year-olds), yet this is a key time that habitual healthy lifestyles could be developed. Ninety-three participants (thirty-nine males; fifty-four females) (mean age = 16.9, (SD 0.4) years), from three low socio-economic high schools in England, completed an online questionnaire on their self-reported: (i) daily physical activity (PA), (ii) active transportation, (iii) active leisure time, (iv) food intake and (v) experiences of how healthy lifestyles are promoted specifically to them. Overall, 60% reached the daily PA recommended guidelines. Yet, 92% used a bicycle/walked for a least 10 min continuously as active transport and of these, 86% undertook this at least 5 days per week. Almost half undertook MVPA as active leisure, but 66% still spent ≥ 5 h sedentary. Seventeen percent met recommended nutritional guidelines for health and 90% ( n = 80) did not report school as a place that promoted healthy lifestyles. It is recommended as a public health measure and as an educational policy matter that schools implement more targeted PA and healthy eating initiatives for older adolescents that also include the adolescent voice. Further, gaining a deeper insight into male older adolescents’ health literacy is needed.

Keywords: physical activity; nutrition; healthy lifestyles; health promotion; health behaviours; adolescent voice; older adolescents; high school; health literacy (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: I I1 I3 Q Q5 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2022
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