Effect of educational interventions based on theory of planned behavior to promote breakfast consumption behavior in students

Introduction: Frequency of breakfast consumption has declined in the last half century. This meal is ignored by children and adolescents. This study was aimed at determining the effect of a training program based on theory of planned behavior on promotion of breakfast consumption in students. Methods: This interventional quasi-experimental study was carried out in Bandar Abbas in 2011 on 88 middle-school students who were selected through the multistage clustersampling method. The data collection instrument was a questionnaire, designed based on the structured theory of planned behavior, whose validity and reliability were determined in the pilot study. The collected data were analyzed with SPSS 18 through linear regression, t-test, paired t-test, Wilcoxon, and Mann-Whitney tests. Results: After the completion of the training program, perceived behavioral control and intention of having breakfast were increased in the intervention group, and the change was significant based on Wilcoxon test (P=0.000). Conclusion: According to the results, instructional strategies based on theory of planned behavior should be taken into account in order to increase intention toward and consumption of breakfast by students. Considering the subjective norms encouraging students to have breakfast especially in peer groups and parents can be helpful in designing educational programs.