Effect of health education about healthy diet, physical activity and personal hygiene among governmental primary school children (11-13 years old) in Sharkia Governorate-Egypt.

Nutrition and physical activity are important components for elementary school children to have healthy lifestyles. Personal hygiene is considered a public health tool that is used to prevent disease and promote health. Children in the primary schooling age can learn specific health-promoting behaviors. This research was done to determine the level of knowledge, attitude and practice about healthy diet, physical activity and personal hygiene and to assess the effect of health education intervention about healthy nutrition, physical activity and personal hygiene on knowledge, attitude and practice among primary school children. The study was carried out governmental primary schools in Sharkia governorate during academic year (2015-2016) on 384 students (191in interventional-193 control group) randomly selected by multistage random sampling technique from governmental primary schools in Sharkia governorate. This study was carried out in three stages 1st stage: pre-intervention stage: The tool used to collect data was modified an interview questionnaire about Socio-demographic characteristics, Knowledge, attitude and practice about healthy diet, physical activity and personal. 2nd stage: intervention stage: Student (in intervention group) were given educational sessions about Healthy diet, Physical activity and personal hygiene. 3rd stage: the post-intervention stage: After 3 months of intervention the same data was collected and comparing the effect of health education intervention about healthy diet, physical activity and personal hygiene between interventional and control groups. There was a lack of knowledge, relatively accepted attitude and poor practice about healthy diet, physical activity and personal hygiene among the studied sample. There was statistically significant improvement in all items concerning knowledge, attitude and practice about healthy diet, physical activity and personal hygiene (P< 0.001) among intervention group compared to control one. In conclusion: There was a lack of knowledge, attitude and practice about healthy diet, physical activity and personal hygiene among the studied sample. Health education intervention program among governmental primary school children (11-13 years old) was an effective method for raising their knowledge, improving their attitude and practice about healthy diet, physical activity and personal hygiene.