Research Outputs
Impulse eines Modellprojektes zum nachhaltigen gesundheitsförderlichen Strukturaufbau im Setting Gemeinde
Interventions for promoting physical activity as a mode of transport among school-aged children
Stärkung einer intersektoralen Zusammenarbeit zur Förderung der Fußgängermobilität bei Volksschulkindern
Health behaviour of young children (3-10) in Austria - closing data gap by carrying out a quantitative study
Introduction: Childhood and adolescence are those phases of life that form health behaviour in later years. Although the HBSC-study analyses health-related activities of pupils at the age of 11, 13, 15 and 17 years there is a lack of data concerning health behaviour of younger children in Austria. Objectives: The aim of this study was to investigate health status, behaviour and social activites of children in the district of Oberwart quantitatively in order to close data gaps. Methods: Within public health reporting 2012 in the Austrian province Burgenland a quantitative survey according to the HBSC-study was created. Parents of children in ten kindergarden and 13 primary schools in the district of Oberwart were asked about health status and behaviour of their kids (n = 552). Because of external assessment (parents) methodical limitations have to be considered. Results: Results concerning health behaviour show that only 35% of parents say that their children are at least 60 minutes physically active every day. Findings related to nutrition indicate that according to parents only 27% eat vegetables daily while nearly half of them consume sweets at least once a day. The results show that healthy eating patterns correlate positively with educational background. Conclusions: This study closed data gap concerning health status and behaviour of children at the age of three to ten years and enables restricted comparisons with results of the HBSC-study. In future further research concerning health behaviour of young children in whole Austria is needed to promote health effectively.