Comprehensive School Physical Activity Programs (CSPAP) coordinate physical activity opportunities for school-age children through physical education, programs offered before/after school and during the school day, and those facilitated through staff involvement and community engagement. An active school is considered to implement quality physical…

Thirty years ago, the World Health Organization (WHO) Ottawa Charter for Health Promotion created a paradigm shift in addressing major public health challenges. Traditional approaches to health education focused on personal health 'risks' and lifestyle choices were quickly overshadowed by the attention given to more comprehensive policy and…

Background: The gateway behavior hypothesis posits that change in a health behavior targeted for modification may promote positive changes in other untargeted health behaviors; however, previous studies have shown inconsistent results. Aims: To examine the patterns and predictors of change in untargeted health behaviors in a large health behavior…

Background: In recent years there has been an increasing amount of research focusing on health in physical education (PE). Much of this research includes discussions on different approaches to health and these have different understandings on how health should be valued in PE. There is less research focusing on how to teach health, but there are…

Student distress is considered as a specific public health issue as research has shown increased levels of anxiety, depression, and risk behaviors in this population. Students report high levels of daily hassles, workload, lack of meaning, manageability, and understanding throughout their university years. These factors lead to increased academic…

There are currently very few resources available in New Zealand for teaching mental health education (within the Health and Physical Education learning area). Outside providers are, however, offering different programmes for sale to schools (in areas such as positive psychology, mindfulness, and growth mindset). These tend to be individualistic,…

Despite the differences between civilian and military life, the family unit remains a unifying force in the community. This article describes how the Department of Defense recognized that putting support--beyond clinical medical care--within a medical setting could be a valuable resource for families. The authors share the promising results that…

Rates of e-cigarette use are high among youth, and there is little known about the long-term health effects of e-cigarettes. Since peer influence is a powerful determinant of tobacco use, we aimed to identify message themes about e-cigarettes that youth would use to encourage or discourage peers from using e-cigarettes. We conducted 10 focus…

Background: The mental health of school-age children is of growing concern in many countries. School professionals require the competences and methods to intervene effectively to promote mental health in schools. Objective: The objective of this study was to describe school professionals' perceptions of the competences needed and effective methods…

Adolescents in South Korea have been facing physical (physical inactivity) and social-emotional (e.g., bullying and suicide) challenges in the last few decades. To address these issues, the Ministry of Education in South Korea implemented School Sports Club as a part of the school curriculum. This article introduces the overview, the goals and…

The transition from primary school to secondary school can be a difficult time for young people, yet little is known about what schools do to support the social, emotional and mental wellbeing (SEMWB) of their pupils during this period. The purpose of this research is to explore the ways in which an urban Scottish secondary school and two of its…

Out-of-school time (OST) programs that work with historically marginalized youth, employ staff that match the demographics of participants, and are well connected to mental health resources are uniquely positioned to support participants to recognize the risks and assets linked to their mental health and well-being. Such programs can…

Weight-neutral approaches emphasize improving individuals' relationships with food and prioritizing emotional and physical well-being over the pursuit of a lower weight as well as support the reduction of stigma experienced by persons with larger bodies. Discourse about health in schools needs to consider students of all sizes as well as the…

The issue of obesity continues to be a concern in the US. Throughout the years, research has shown that adopting healthier eating habits and increasing physical activity can help people lead healthier lives. Families of low socioeconomic status suffer disproportionately from poor health. Nutrition education programs have been successful in…

Background: Using a Community-Based Participatory Research (CBPR) approach may increase the likelihood of relevance and acceptability of the designed intervention, especially on a college campus. Furthermore, recruiting and training college students to design a social marketing framed healthy lifestyle intervention for their peers will allow the…