Health promotion in sports clubs – adolescents’ dietary habits, competitive goals in sports, and body image
Thesis event information
Date and time of the thesis defence
Place of the thesis defence
Wegelius auditorium, Oulu Deaconess Institute, Albertinkatu 16, Oulu
Topic of the dissertation
Health promotion in sports clubs – adolescents’ dietary habits, competitive goals in sports, and body image
Doctoral candidate
Master of Health Sciences Laura Heikkilä
Faculty and unit
University of Oulu Graduate School, Faculty of Medicine, Research Unit of Population Health
Subject of study
Medicine
Opponent
Professor Maijaliisa Erkkola, University of Helsinki
Custos
Professor Raija Korpelainen, University of Oulu and Oulu Deaconess Institute Foundation sr
Health promotion in sports clubs – adolescents’ dietary habits, competitive goals in sports, and body image
Health promotion in sports clubs needs improvement – deficiencies also in young participants’ dietary habits
According to doctoral research by Master of Health Sciences Laura Heikkilä, Finnish youth sports clubs have a positive attitude towards health promotion. However, this does not appear to be reflected in coaches' actions to promote healthy eating among adolescents.
The doctoral study was carried out at the ODL Sports Clinic and the University of Oulu and is part of the national Health Promoting Sports Club study. The study examined health promotion in Finnish youth sports clubs and the associations between adolescents’ sports club participation, dietary habits, competitive goals in sports, and body perception. The study involved 1918 adolescents aged 14 to 16 years, 311 sports club officials and 275 coaches. The participants answered electronic questionnaires on their health behaviours and sports clubs’ health promotion.
Adolescent sports club participants were more likely to have health-promoting dietary habits than those who did not participate in sports clubs. Young people with competitive goals in sports were also more satisfied with their bodies. The study suggests that these differences appear to be explained by factors other than sports club participation itself, such as higher physical activity and perceived better physical fitness among sports club participants. The study also found that adolescent sports club participants’ dietary habits had deficiencies. For example, only about half of them replied that they eat vegetables and/or fruit daily.
“Promoting adolescents’ dietary habits requires collaboration between several parties”, Heikkilä states. “Sports clubs reach about half of Finnish youth and their potential in supporting healthy eating among adolescents has been recognised. My dissertation highlights the need to investigate which practices are effective in sports clubs’ health promotion and how they can be implemented in sports clubs’ daily activities", she says.
According to doctoral research by Master of Health Sciences Laura Heikkilä, Finnish youth sports clubs have a positive attitude towards health promotion. However, this does not appear to be reflected in coaches' actions to promote healthy eating among adolescents.
The doctoral study was carried out at the ODL Sports Clinic and the University of Oulu and is part of the national Health Promoting Sports Club study. The study examined health promotion in Finnish youth sports clubs and the associations between adolescents’ sports club participation, dietary habits, competitive goals in sports, and body perception. The study involved 1918 adolescents aged 14 to 16 years, 311 sports club officials and 275 coaches. The participants answered electronic questionnaires on their health behaviours and sports clubs’ health promotion.
Adolescent sports club participants were more likely to have health-promoting dietary habits than those who did not participate in sports clubs. Young people with competitive goals in sports were also more satisfied with their bodies. The study suggests that these differences appear to be explained by factors other than sports club participation itself, such as higher physical activity and perceived better physical fitness among sports club participants. The study also found that adolescent sports club participants’ dietary habits had deficiencies. For example, only about half of them replied that they eat vegetables and/or fruit daily.
“Promoting adolescents’ dietary habits requires collaboration between several parties”, Heikkilä states. “Sports clubs reach about half of Finnish youth and their potential in supporting healthy eating among adolescents has been recognised. My dissertation highlights the need to investigate which practices are effective in sports clubs’ health promotion and how they can be implemented in sports clubs’ daily activities", she says.
Last updated: 4.4.2024