Promotion of healthy lifestyle habits in primary school students, San Vicente y Las Granadinas School, Educational District 02-06

Abstract

The main objective of the study was to identify how Physical Education classes contribute to the promotion of healthy lifestyles in sixth grade students of the San Vicente y Las Granadinas School, belonging to the 02-06 educational district in San Juan Oeste, Dominican Republic. A qualitative approach was adopted, under the hermeneutic perspective and the action research methodology, to analyze the key elements of the didactic units used in Physical Education classes. The research focused on 31 students of 6th grade, second cycle, primary level, school year 2019-2020. As part of the study, the Fantastic Questionnaire, an instrument designed to generally identify and evaluate lifestyles in specific populations, was applied. The results indicated that 75% of the student body responded that they eat some or all types of unhealthy foods. Another important finding is that 22 out of 28 students regularly monitor their body weight. As conclusions, the study evidences the relevance of Physical Education in the promotion of healthy lifestyles, while highlighting significant challenges related to physical activity, sleep and emotional well-being of students.