To assess the effectiveness of an adolescent peer-led health curriculum in changing physical activity and fruit and vegetable social-cognitive and behavioural variables among Filipino American adolescents in Hawai’i for participants and peer educators.
Design:
Quasi-experimental design.
Setting:
One high school on Oahu, Hawai’i.
Method:
Filipino American adolescents aged 16–18 years from a grade 12 health class were recruited and trained as peer educators to deliver a health curriculum to grades 9–11 health classes over 8 months. We examined peer educators’ influence on physical activity and fruit and vegetable social-cognitive (knowledge, stage of change, self-efficacy and enjoyment) and behavioural variables (physical activity and consumption). Participants and peer educators completed baseline and follow-up questionnaires.
Results:
Compared with controls, intervention students showed an increase in physical activity knowledge and self-efficacy. Multiple regression analysis predicted higher physical activity knowledge and moderate-vigorous physical activity follow-up scores for members of the intervention group. A significant effect was found for physical activity stage of change and moderate-vigorous physical activity for peer educators over time. No significant effect was found for any fruit and vegetable variables.
Conclusion:
A peer-led health curriculum may be a viable method to change physical activity social-cognitive and behavioural variables in Filipino American adolescents and peer educators.
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