The effectiveness of the COPE healthy lifestyles TEEN program: a school-based intervention in middle school adolescents with 12-month follow-up

Abstract

Aim: The goal of this study is to assess the applicability and long-term effectiveness of the T-COPE Healthy TEEN program on adolescent health.

Background: Obesity and mental health disorders are major public health problems in adolescents. In this context, including long-term and multiple behavioural obesity prevention programs are becoming increasingly important.

Design: A quasi-experimental design with pre-test/post-test control group and repeated measurements.

Methods: Eighty-seven (45 in intervention group, 42 in control group) adolescents were included from two different middle schools in the intervention program. The data were analysed by using descriptive statistics, Pearson chi-square, Fisher's exact test, Student-t test, repeated measures of variance analysis and Cohen's d effect size.

Results: No significant difference was found between the intervention and control groups in terms of descriptive characteristics, behavioural and cognitive variables of the adolescents. Following the intervention, the adolescents in intervention groups showed improvements in nutritional behaviour, physical activity and stress management. These improvements concerned increased physical walking measured in the number of physical steps per week daily fruit and vegetable consumption and the daily quantity of water ingested. While their nutrition/physical activity knowledge significantly increased, their weight and anxiety symptoms significantly decreased. The effect of the program on body mass index, depression and health beliefs of the adolescents were not significant compared with the control group.

Conclusion: The applicability of the T-COPE Healthy TEEN program on Turkish adolescents and its effectiveness on their health behaviours, nutrition and physical activity knowledge and stress management were revealed in this study.

Keywords: adolescent health; healthy lifestyles; nursing; obesity; prevention program; school health.