Pre-Service Teachers’ Concept of Healthy Eating and Physical Fitness

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Abstract

The prevalence of obesity and its related metabolic diseases have continued to increase over the last three decades. Professional health and medical organizations have recommended that Americans follow the “calories in–calories out” energy equation, adhere to the Dietary Guidelines for Americans, and increase physical activity to offset weight gain. Moreover, conventional medicine has relied on dispensing pharmaceuticals to manage the risk factors. Despite these efforts, the number of people afflicted with one or more metabolic diseases has continued to escalate. A proactive approach using healthy lifestyle habits to mitigate the risk of metabolic syndrome should be considered. Schools may be a portal to foster health literacy and physical literacy in young children and adolescents which would prepare these students to make informed decisions to advance their well-being and health. This study suggests that these pre-service teachers’ concept of healthy eating was rudimentary, but in line with the Dietary Guidelines for Americans; however, they lacked a thorough understanding of the Physical Activity Guidelines. Despite these deficiencies, these pre-service teachers indicated a motivation to instill healthy habits into their daily lives and felt it is their responsibility as future teachers to model these lifestyle habits to their students. Appropriate college courses, such as Life Science Studies, can identify and correct dietary and physical activity misconceptions held by these students.