Abstract:
Health behaviors and a healthy lifestyle ideally begin during childhood or adolescence. Self-perceived health may be an important factor in performance of healthy behaviors among adolescents (Tremblay, Dahinten, & Kohen, 2003). However, little is known about the relationship of self-health perceptions, health-related behaviors and demographic variables among descents. The purpose of this predictive correlational study is to determine relationships among perceptions of health, selected demographic variables, and health-related behaviors among school students. Pender's (1987) Health Promotion Model guided the study. The sample *ill include 1200 teenagers from grades 10 through 12 in a small rural Midwest county. e Lifestyle Profile and Lifestyle Profile II questionnaire (Walker, Sechrist, & Pender, 1987) a demographic survey will measure study variables including adolescents' gender, economic 'status, and educational level; degree of obesity; participants' perceptions of health and self-report f health-related behaviors including smoking, binge drinking, and physical activity. Findings will provide information to health care professionals about the interrelationships about healthy lifestyle variables in a sample of adolescents.