CORONARY-DISEASE RISK FACTOR REDUCTION AND BEHAVIOR-MODIFICATION IN MINORITY ADOLESCENTS - THE PATH PROGRAM

Purpose: To evaluate the impact of a unique school-based program of ex ercise, health education, and behavior modification on health knowledg e, health behaviors, coronary risk factors, and cardiovascular fitness in minority adolescents. Methods: A total of 346 students from an inn er-city public high school participated in health promotion interventi on or regular physical education volleyball classes. Subjects were Afr ican-American (47%), Asian-American (9%), Hispanic (21%), white (3%), and other (19%). The health promotion curriculum consisted of 11 weeks of daily circuit training exercise and health lecture- discussions. R esults: The groups were similar in age, height, weight, ethnicity, and socioeconomic status. Following intervention, both boys (P < .001) an d girls (P < .006) significantly improved health knowledge test scores . Significant benefits for girls included improved dietary habits (P < .05), reduced cholesterol (P < .004), and higher estimated VO2 max (P < .0001). There were no other significant changes in boys. Conclusion s: The results suggest that a school-based health promotion program of exercise and health lecture-discussion is beneficial for multiethnic, inner-city adolescents, especially females.