The Effect of Health Education on Children's Healthy Lifestyle Skills

Childhood is a critical period for the development of lifelong health behaviors, and early interventions play an essential role in promoting long-term health and preventing future health problems. This study is planned to evaluate the effect of health education on children's healthy lifestyle skills.

This study is designed as a randomized controlled trial to evaluate the effectiveness of a structured health education program on healthy lifestyle skills among primary school children aged 8-10 years. The study will be conducted in a public primary school in Ankara, Türkiye, during the 2025-2026 academic year. The study population will consist of students enrolled in the 2nd, 3rd, and 4th grades. Participants who meet the inclusion criteria and provide parental consent will be included in the study. Data will be collected using a Descriptive Characteristics Form and the Healthy Lifestyle Skills Scale for Children Aged 8-10, which assesses health protection, hygiene, physical activity, and nutrition behaviors. Following baseline data collection (pre-test), participants will be randomly assigned to either the experimental group or the control group. The experimental group will receive a structured healthy lifestyle education program, while the control group will receive no intervention during the study period. The intervention will be implemented over a two-week period and will consist of two sessions. Each session will last approximately 45 minutes, including 30 minutes of theoretical instruction and 15 minutes of interactive activities. The education program will include topics such as personal hygiene, cleanliness habits, health protection, regular physical activity, and healthy nutrition. Educational materials such as brochures and visual presentations will be used to support learning and enhance engagement. After the completion of the intervention, both groups will undergo a post-test assessment using the same measurement tools. Additionally, a follow-up assessment will be conducted one month after the completion of the intervention to evaluate the sustainability of the effects of the education program. No intervention will be applied to the control group during the study period; however, after the post-test assessment, the same education program will be provided to the control group for ethical considerations.

Inclusion Criteria: * Enrolled at Şehit Yavuz Başayar Primary School * Currently attending 2nd, 3rd, or 4th grade * Willing to participate in the study * Having parental consent Exclusion Criteria: * Refusal to participate in the study * Lack of parental consent * Inability to complete the data collection tools