abstract
- © 2018 Pontificia Universidad Javeriana. All rights reserved.This research aimed to evaluate the effectiveness of an educational intervention intended to promote healthy eating practices in teenagers between 11 and 12 years old, under an active learning approach. The intervention was carried out among moderate-income family teenagers in first grade of secondary education at a public school. The intervention effectiveness was evaluated considering the favorable changes in their attitudes towards the healthy food, their self-efficiency to choose and balance the food, and the increase in the health risk implied by a non-healthy diet. The statistical analysis of the data indicated a significant change in the attitude and risk perceived after the intervention. Regarding the self-efficiency, by applying a Markov model the duration was estimated for the intervention to produce a greater percentage of teenagers perceived as self-efficient to choose their food. These findings support the proposal for a modification in the governmental programs in order to create a healthy environment in the elementary schools and improve the student¿s competences to follow a balanced diet without breaking up with the sociocultural patterns and the eating habits of their families.