Predicting high school students' health-promoting lifestyle: a test of the information, motivation, behavioral skills model

Background and aim Expenditure on adolescents' health promotion is critical to enhancing quality of life and fundamental for the prosperity of countries. This study tried to investigate the relationships between information-motivation-behavioral skills (IMB) model constructs as predictors of high school student's health-promoting lifestyle (HPL) in Southwest Iran. Methods This cross-sectional descriptive-analytic study was conducted on 400 students in Southwest Iran. Sample size required for this study was obtained using Soper's structural equation modeling (SEM) calculator. The stratified random sampling method was used in this study. A path analysis was taken to evaluate the HPL main determinants utilizing SEM. Results Information only had a significant indirect relationship with adolescents' HPL. But, both motivation and behavioral skills constructs had significant direct and indirect relationship with adolescents' HPL. The behavioral skill construct was the most imperative predictor variable. In general, behavioral skills construct (75%), motivation (66%) and knowledge (50%) constructs had the highest impact on HPL. The IMB model was able to explain 71% of the variance in adolescents' HPL. Conclusion The findings of the study showed that the IMB model was appropriate for explaining adolescents' HPL. It is necessary that actions are taken to improve behavioral skills and promote adolescents' HPL.