Journal of Education and Health Promotion

Abstract Background: Health promoting lifestyle (HPL) focuses on life promotion through lifestyle
which consists of six aspects of “physical activity”, “nutrition”, “health responsibility”, “spiritual
growth”, “interpersonal relations” and “stress management”. This lifestyle promotes health
and welfare and induces satisfaction, self-persuasion and self-improvement. Considering
the importance of the way a new behavior affects “life quality” as a motivational factor for
starting and continuing that behavior, this study aimed to determine the relationship between
health-promoting lifestyle and its aspects. Materials and Methods: This cross-sectional
study was performed on undergraduate students at School of Health, Isfahan University of
Medical Sciences, using a census method. Health promoting lifestyle was measured by Health
Promotion Lifestyle Profile two and life quality was assessed by the Persian version of QLQ-C30
questionnaire. Data analysis was conducted using descriptive and inferential statistical tests
in SPSS. Results: Mean age of the participants was 21.12 years old. From among six aspects
of health promoting behaviors, spiritual growth and responsibility with the means of 22.01 ±
2.224 and 20 ± 2.31 had the highest and physical activity with the mean of 17.58 ± 2.9 had the
lowest scores, respectively. General life quality of 40.7% students was good and only 19.8% of
them had an average global life quality. The highest and lowest frequencies of health-related life
quality belonged to very good (58.6%) and excellent (9%) health, respectively. Except for stress
management (P = 0.05) and gender of the students, there were no significant relationships
between other HPL aspects and gender. There was no statistically significant relationship
between global life quality of students and nutrition, physical activity, self-health responsibility
and stress management while there was a significant relationship between global life quality
and spiritual growth of the students. Health-related life quality and stress management were
significantly related to each other; however, no statistically significant relationship was observed
between health-related life quality and nutrition, physical activity, interpersonal relations and
spiritual growth. Conclusion: There is a significant relationship between adopting health
promoting lifestyle and aspects of spiritual growth and stress management on the one hand
and general quality of life on the other, at least among students.

Abstract Background: Osteoporosis is a systemic skeletal disorder characterized by reduction of
one mass, deterioration of bone structure, increasing bone fragility, and increasing fracture
risk. Prevention of osteoporosis during childhood and adolescence is one of the most
important issues in World Health Organization. The purpose of this study was to determine
the effect of Health Belief Model based intervention on promoting nutritional behaviors
about preventive osteoporosis among the second grade middle school girl students.
Materials and Methods: This was an experimental intervention study, the research population
being 130 students who were randomly divided into groups, experimental (66) and control (64).
Before the educational program, Health Belief Model based standard questionnaire and Food
Frequency Questionnaire (FFQ) questionnaire were filled up by both the groups. The standard
questionnaire was completed three times (before, immediately, and 2 months after education)
and FFQ questionnaire was completed two times (before and 2 months after education) by
the students. After pre‑test, four educational session classes in the experimental group were
performed. Finally, data collected were analyzed by SPSS 18 computer software. Results: The
result of this study showed a significant increase in the mean score of knowledge, perceived
susceptibility, seriousness, benefits, barriers, as well as taking health action among girl
students in the experimental group. Conclusion: The findings of the present study confirmed
the practicability and effectiveness of the Health Belief Model based educational program in
promoting nutritional behaviors about prevention of osteoporosis.