Ohälsosamma levnadsvanor bland barn och ungdomar är ett folkhälsoproblem. Ett av skolhälsovårdens uppdrag är att verka för sunda levnadsvanor hos eleverna. Syftet med studien var att undersöka skolhälsopersonalens upplevelser av att främja sunda levnadsvanor hos skolbarn i 6-10 års ålder vid kommunala grundskolor i Västerås Stad. En kvalitativ studiedesign valdes för att uppnå syftet. Datainsamlingen skedde genom sex individuella semistrukturerade intervjuer med skolhälsovårdens personal och en manifest innehållsanalys tillämpades för att analysera insamlad data. Resultatet visade att samverkan mellan olika aktörer mot ett gemensamt mål samt en individbaserat arbetsmetod ansågs vara centrala förutsättningar för skolhälsopersonalen för att främja sunda levnadsvanor hos elever. Ojämlik resursfördelning, brist på kompetens hos skolsköterskor samt brist på effektiva evidensbaserade arbetsstrategier identifierades som utmaningar för att uppfylla målet. I resultatet framkom även att skolhälsopersonalen upplever sin roll både som vägledande och stödjande för beteendeförändringar mot sunda levnadsvanor. Studien visade dock att dessa roller behövde förstärkas. Det behövs mer forskning för att utveckla evidensbaserad kunskap och ett evidensbaserat ramverk för att bemöta de upplevda utmaningarna inom skolhälsovårdens hälsofrämjande arbete för att främja sunda levnadsvanor hos elever. / Unhealthy lifestyles are increasing among children and this has been identified as a public health problem. School is a key setting for promoting healthy lifestyles. The school health services have an ambition to promote healthy lifestyles among pupils. The aim of this study was to explore the experiences of school healthcare staff of promoting healthy lifestyles among school children 6-10 years old at the municipal primary schools in the city of Västerås. A qualitative study design was chosen and data collection took place through six individual semi-structured interviews with school healthcare staff. A content analysis was applied to analyze the collected data. The study showed that collaboration between various stakeholders towards a common goal as well as a person-centered approach were considered as main facilitators for the school healthcare staff to promote healthy lifestyles. Unequal distribution of resources, lack of knowledge and skills among school nurses and lack of practical evidence-based working strategies were considered as challenges for the school healthcare staff to promote healthy lifestyles. This study proved to be a guiding as well as a supporting role for the school healthcare staff in health behaviour changes in pupils and their families. This study, however, showed that these roles needed to be strengthened. More research is required to improve evidence-based knowledge and to develop an evidence-based framework to address the perceived challenges in school healthcare efforts towards promoting healthy lifestyles among pupils.

Older adults represent a growing part of the population of the United States. Due to decreased physical activity, dietary changes, and alterations in metabolic rate this population is susceptible to an increased rate of diseases. The generation entering older adulthood is one which welcomed fast food and meal replacement foods allowing them to adapt to a more sedentary lifestyle and to need programs of preventative health. The Nutrition and Life Satisfaction Survey was used to investigate gardening as a preventative health intervention for older adults. This instrument was used to compare older (age 50+) gardeners and nongardeners on their perceptions of personal life satisfaction, nutrition, health, and gardening habits. The instrument was posted online at the Aggie Horticulture website in spring 2005. Respondents differentiated themselves as gardeners or nongardeners by responding positively or negatively to the question “Do you garden?” Then, they completed the questionnaire about their quality of life andhealth status and, for gardeners, their gardening habits. Results indicated that gardeners had more desirable responses: Overall quality of life scores were higher for gardeners compared to nongardeners, and four individual quality of life statements yielded more positive answers by gardeners. Additionally, gardeners reported a higher consumption of total fruits and vegetables, including herbs, and of vegetables only including herbs. Personal reports of physical activity and of perceived health were higher among gardeners. Females were more likely than males to garden and spend a higher percentage of their budget on fruits and vegetables. Higher consumption of fruits and vegetables and higher levels of physical activity result in healthier lifestyles and, in turn, can increase quality of life.

Older adults represent a growing part of the population of the United States. Due to decreased physical activity, dietary changes, and alterations in metabolic rate this population is susceptible to an increased rate of diseases. The generation entering older adulthood is one which welcomed fast food and meal replacement foods allowing them to adapt to a more sedentary lifestyle and to need programs of preventative health. The Nutrition and Life Satisfaction Survey was used to investigate gardening as a preventative health intervention for older adults. This instrument was used to compare older (age 50+) gardeners and nongardeners on their perceptions of personal life satisfaction, nutrition, health, and gardening habits. The instrument was posted online at the Aggie Horticulture website in spring 2005. Respondents differentiated themselves as gardeners or nongardeners by responding positively or negatively to the question “Do you garden?” Then, they completed the questionnaire about their quality of life andhealth status and, for gardeners, their gardening habits. Results indicated that gardeners had more desirable responses: Overall quality of life scores were higher for gardeners compared to nongardeners, and four individual quality of life statements yielded more positive answers by gardeners. Additionally, gardeners reported a higher consumption of total fruits and vegetables, including herbs, and of vegetables only including herbs. Personal reports of physical activity and of perceived health were higher among gardeners. Females were more likely than males to garden and spend a higher percentage of their budget on fruits and vegetables. Higher consumption of fruits and vegetables and higher levels of physical activity result in healthier lifestyles and, in turn, can increase quality of life.

The adoption of health behaviours is essential if coronary heart disease patients are to optimise their chance of survival and reduce the likelihood of recurrent coronary events. However, this behavioural change may not ensue following an acute myocardial infarction(AMI). This study on first AMI subjects sought firstly to examine the psychometric properties of five scaled instruments used for assessing health behaviours. Secondly, the study assessed the prevalence of health-enhancing behaviours at the time of the first AMI and 6 months after this event.Thirdly, the magnitude of health behavioural change was then examined. Fourthly, sociodemographic, clinical and psychosocial predictors of health-enhancing behaviours were explored.These health-enhancing behaviours included non-smoking behaviours, normal body mass index (BMI), adequate physical activity, medication adherence and low dietary fat intake. Finally, the study examined relationships between sociodemographic , psychosocial and modifiable lifestyle factors, based on Antonovsky's hypothesis on sense of coherence(SOC), stress and adaptive coping. The study highlights that some modifiable risk factors, for example, being overweight or obese and physical inactivity were more resistant to change following an AMI.This finding, and the relationship between stress and increased dietary fat suggest a need for individualised programs to support the specific needs of AMI patients to change their modifiable cardiac risk factors. / Doctor of Philosophy (PhD)(Health)

This article focuses on the relationship between education and health, and the relevance of the school in a comprehensive teaching. Specifically, the article develops different conceptions about the health, education, health promotion and healthy lifestyles taking into account the contributions of authoritative sources. In addition to the theoretical approach, the author introduces a reflection about the health education in the Peruvian context. / El presente artículo establece una estrecha relación entre salud y educación y la relevancia del ámbito escolar en la formación integral de la persona. Específicamente recoge las diferentes concepciones de salud, educación, promoción de la salud, estilos de vida saludables, transversalidad y educación para la salud. Además de la aproximación conceptual, el artículo integra una reflexión sobre la educación para la salud en el caso peruano.

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Title: The attitudes of pupils older school age to physical activity as basis for developing a health education on elementary school Author: Bc. Zuzana Pexová Department: department of pedagogy Supervisor: PaedDr. Eva Marádová, CSc. Abstract: This thesis deals with the attitudes of older school age students with a focus on physical activity. The aim of this work is based on the results of theoretical analysis and research to develop a specific training program applicable in health education. The theoretical part deals with lifestyle, physical activity, older school age. The practical part is divided into two parts. In the first parts educational program of selected schools is studied in terms of integrating educational area of Humans and health into school health education curriculum, in the other part results of the research are presented and a proposal of specific health support program is created in which health education is integrated into physical education. Keywords: lifestyle, healthy lifestyles, physical activity, sport, health education

Background: The primary objective of this study was to assess the feasibility of the Healthy Lifestyles Program (HLP), a novel 12-month complex intervention based in cognitive behavioural therapy and theories of behavioural change, delivered in a community-based setting in Hamilton, Canada. The secondary objective was to explore implementation factors. Methods/ design: A pragmatic pilot randomised controlled trial using quantitative and qualitative evaluation methods. Participants were randomly allocated to either intervention group (n=15) or comparator group (n=15). The intervention group attended weekly group education sessions and met in-person with a healthcare team monthly to create personalized health goals and action plans. The comparator group met with a research assistant every three months to develop health goals and action plans. We assessed feasibility of the program by measuring recruitment, participation and retention rates, missing data, and attendance. All participant-directed and clinical outcome measures were analyzed for between and within group changes using Generalized Estimating Equations (GEE). Content analysis was conducted for qualitative data. Results: We recruited and randomized 30 participants to each group (n=15) within 3 months. Retention rate was 60% (9/15) for the intervention group and 47% (7/15) for the comparator group. Less than 1% of participant-directed and clinical outcomes were missing. Participants attended an average of 29 of 43 educational sessions and 100% of one-to-one sessions. The healthcare team valued the program’s holistic approach to care, increased time and interaction with participants, professional collaboration, and the ability to provide counselling and health supports. Location accessibility was an important factor facilitating implementation. Reducing the number of psycho-social education sessions and having access to a gym could improve retention and delivery of the program. Conclusion: This study has demonstrated the feasibility of the HLP with minor modifications recommended for a larger trial and for the intervention. / Thesis / Master of Public Health (MPH) / Rates of chronic physical and mental health illness are rising in Canada. Lifestyle or behavioural changes can prevent or manage chronic diseases. The aim of this pilot study is to test the feasibility of delivering a 12-month Healthy Lifestyles Program to participants in Hamilton, Canada. The Healthy Lifestyles Program is a complex intervention designed to help participants identify health goals and action plans to achieve those goals with the guidance of healthcare professionals. We observed that the program was successfully delivered, accepted by participants and staff and required minor changes to the study design for a scaled-up study. The program showed positive trends for improving goal attainment, depression, and loneliness scores. The results of this study will help inform the design and scale-up of a larger study.

The present study aims at the discussion of the contemporary forms of construction of selfidentity through the perspective prompted by the transformations ocurring in the health field. The increasing influence of the health promotional discourses in the media is reflected in the personal sphere, through the popularization of the “healthy lifestyles”. These are understood as supporting the construction of late modern identities. Within this phenomenon, we discuss the specific implications of the health eating discourse as portrayed in a specialized publication, attempting to the overlapping connections between lifestyle, food and discourse in the shaping of self-identities. Through this perspective, food is approached as bearing fundamental implications to the constitution of the individual. The present study is placed within the sociological theories on late modernity, the discourse analysis theories and the media as the provider of the symbolic content. / O presente estudo tem por objetivo discutir as formas de construção de identidade pessoal na contemporaneidade através da perspectiva das mudanças que ocorrem no campo da saúde. A crescente influência do discurso da promoção da saúde na mídia se reflete na esfera pessoal através da popularização dos “estilos de vida saudáveis”, que são observados como oferecendo um suporte para as identidades na modernidade tardia. Dentro deste fenômeno, discutimos as implicações específicas do discurso acerca da alimentação saudável em uma publicação especializada, atentando para as relações que se sobrepõem entre estilos de vida, comida e discurso como centrais para a constituição da identidade. A comida, nesta perspectiva, é vista a partir de suas implicações simbólicas para a constituição do indivíduo. Este estudo posiciona-se dentro das teorias sociológicas sobre a modernidade tardia, as teorias da análise de discurso e o campo da mídia como provedor do material simbólico. / Den aktuella studien syftar på att diskutera nutida form av konstruktion av självidentitet i mediala texter. Från det här perspektivet utgör hälsofrämjande diskurser ett verktyg för att bygga uppfattningar om sig själv där mat är ett särskilt viktigt symboliskt objekt i detta projekt. Inom detta fenomen, diskuteras den specifika innebörden av meddelanden kring hälsosam kosthållning som framförs i ett specialiserat tidningsmagasin. Fokus är på de överskridande förhållandena mellan livstil, mat och diskurser i skapandet av självidentitet. Studien befinner sig inom sociologiska teorier om senmodernitet, teorier om diskursanalys och media som en instans där symboliskt innehåll om subjektiviteter kan hittas.