Application of the Health Promotion Model to Predict Breakfast Consumption Among Adolescent Girls: A Structural EquationModeling Approach

Background: Healthy nutrition is necessary for normal growth and development. Although breakfast isconsidered the most important meal of the day, it is ignored by many adolescents. The purpose of this studywas to apply the health promotion model (HPM) to predict breakfast consumption among adolescent girlsusing the structural equation modeling (SEM) approach.Methods: A descriptive-analytical study was performed on ۴۵۰ Iranian female high school students in۲۰۱۹. Sampling was performed through a multi-stage method. The data collection instrument was atwo-part questionnaire. The first part was about demographic information and the behavior of breakfastconsumption. The second part was a questionnaire based on the HPM. Data were analyzed by SPSS(version ۲۱) and AMOS (version ۲۱) using the Chi-square test and the regression model.Results: Based on SEM, the constructs of Pender’s HPM explained approximately ۰.۴۷ of the variationin the breakfast consumption behavior. The highest total effects on breakfasting behaviors belonged tobehavioral perceptions (۰.۸۳۳), prior related behaviors (۰.۸۰۰), perceived self-efficacy (۰.۶۷۷), activityrelatedaffects (۰.۶۵۹), perceived barriers (-۰.۵۹۸), and commitment to planning (۰.۳۶۱).Conclusion: HPM is a suitable theory for predicting commitment to the planning and behavior of breakfastconsumption among Iranian adolescent girls. Accordingly, the impact of emotions and behavioral perceptions ona commitment to planning for breakfast consumption should be considered in designing nutritional interventionsfor female adolescents. Moreover, in planning educational interventions, pleasant experiences should be created topositively influence individual perceptions and effects related to the target behavior in order to enhance commitmentto the breakfast consumption behavior.

Keywords:

Adolescents , Breakfast , Health promotion , Structural equation modeling