Health promotion by physical activity: Effects of personalized advices in vocational high schools

Objective. It is possible to raise the physical activity level in educational circle by proposing "turn-key" activities. The aim of this work is to measure the effectiveness of a personalized advice. Methods. Seven hundred and eighty pupils in whole of the vocational high schools of Vosges department (East France) randomized in two groups, experimental (EXP) and control (CON). In group EXP, the pupils received a personalized advice to improve their physical practices, by the doctors and nurses of school health service. Results. Participation rate was 76%. Population. Forty-three percent girls, aged 15.8 +/- 0.8 years old (average standard deviation). At T + 3 months, 71% of the pupils say to have achieved the goals laid down in common with the health professional. The level of general physical activity increased in group EXP, in particular that of the initially less active pupils. The duration of daily physical inactivity was stabilized, whereas it raised in group CON. Health promotion by physical activity must also pass by the delivery of personalized advices, based on to the objectives of the person. (c) 2009 Elsevier Masson SAS. All rights reserved.