title: Efficacy of HBM-Based Dietary Education Intervention on Knowledge, Attitude, and Behavior in Medical Students.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Using various models of behavior change, a number of studies in the area of nutrition education have confirmed that nutrition habits and behaviors can be improved.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  This study sought to determine the effects of education on patterns of dietary consumption among medical students at the military university of Tehran, with a view to correcting those patterns.
  
  
  METHODS
  In this quasi-experimental study, 242 medical students from the Military University of Tehran were chosen by convenience sampling and then divided into control (n = 107) and intervention groups (n = 135) by block randomization. The self-administered questionnaire involving six categories of item (knowledge, perceived benefits, perceived barriers, perceived threats, self-efficacy and behavior) has been validated (Cronbach alpha > 0.7 for each).
  
  
  RESULTS
  Following the educational intervention, the mean score of knowledge, health belief model (HBM) structure, and behavior of students in relation to healthy patterns of food intake increased significantly (P < 0.05). The mean pre-intervention knowledge score was 6.76 (1.452), referring to threats to HBM constructs including perceived threat 2.93 (1.147), perceived benefits 7.28 (1.07), perceived barriers 5.44 (1.831), self- efficacy 4.28 (1.479), and behavior 8.84 (2.527). The post-intervention scores all improved as follows: knowledge 8.3 (1.503), perceived threats 3.29 (1.196), perceived benefits 7.71 (0.762), perceived barriers 5.9 (1.719), self- efficacy 4.6 (1.472), and behavior 9.45 (2.324). This difference in mean scores for knowledge, health belief structures and employee behavior before and after educational intervention was significant (P ≤ 0.05).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The significant improvement in the experimental group's mean knowledge, HBM structures , and behavior scores indicates the positive effect of the intervention.
authors.affiliation: Health Research Center, Baqiyatallah University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, IR Iran.
authors.forename: Hamid Reza
authors.initials: HR
authors.lastname: Tavakoli
authors.affiliation: Military Medical University Students, Tehran, IR Iran.
authors.forename: Hossein
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Dini-Talatappeh
authors.affiliation: Health Research Center, Baqiyatallah University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, IR Iran.
authors.forename: Fatemeh
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Rahmati-Najarkolaei
authors.affiliation: Biostatistics Department, Faculty of Medical Sciences, Tarbiat Modares University, Tehran, IR Iran.
authors.forename: Mohammad
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Gholami Fesharaki
keywords: Education; Health; Nutrition Status; Students