Skip to main content
Home / American Journal of Health Behavior, Volume 35, Number 3

Predicting Osteoporosis Prevention Behaviors: Health Beliefs and Knowledge

Buy Article:

$39.00 + tax (Refund Policy)

Objectives: To investigate whether the expanded Health Belief Model (EHBM) could predict calcium intake and physical activity in adolescent girls. Methods: Participants self-reported calcium intake, physical activity, and osteoporosis health beliefs. Regression analysis examined the relationship between these beliefs and behaviors. Results: Calcium self-efficacy, calcium barriers, and osteoporosis knowledge predicted calcium intake, whereas exercise self-efficacy and health motivation predicted physical activity. Conclusions: The EHBM appears to be useful in predicting osteoporosis prevention behaviors in adolescent girls. Interventions should focus on identifying barriers to calcium consumption and physical activity and increasing beliefs in the ability overcome them.

Keywords: ADOLESCENTS; CALCIUM INTAKE; EXPANDED HEALTH BELIEF MODEL; GIRLS; PHYSICAL ACTIVITY; SELF-EFFICACY

Document Type: Research Article

Affiliations: Department of Physical Education and Kinesiology, Brock University, St. Catharines, ON, Canada

Publication date: 01 May 2011

More about this publication?

  • The American Journal of Health Behavior seeks to improve the quality of life through multidisciplinary health efforts in fostering a better understanding of the multidimensional nature of both individuals and social systems as they relate to health behaviors.

    The Journal aims to provide a comprehensive understanding of the impact of personal attributes, personality characteristics, behavior patterns, social structure, and processes on health maintenance, health restoration, and health improvement; to disseminate knowledge of holistic, multidisciplinary approaches to designing and implementing effective health programs; and to showcase health behavior analysis skills that have been proven to affect health improvement and recovery.

  • Editorial Board
  • Information for Authors
  • Submit a Paper
  • Subscribe to this Title
  • Review Board
  • Reprints and Permissions
  • Ingenta Connect is not responsible for the content or availability of external websites

Share Content

  • Access Key
  • Free content
  • Partial Free content
  • New content
  • Open access content
  • Partial Open access content
  • Subscribed content
  • Partial Subscribed content
  • Free trial content