Background: Little is known about the progression of obesity from childhood to adolescence. This study aimed to longitudinally examine the obesity status in a cohort of children across their childhood and adolescence, and to identify the factors associated with persistent obesity. Methods: The study used data from School Physical Fitness Award Scheme (SPFAS), a population-based programme in Hong Kong primary and secondary schools. Students were included if they participated in the SPFAS in both 2014 (Primary 1 and 2) and 2018 (Primary 5 and 6). Their anthropometric and physical fitness parameters were analyzed. Results: A total of 18,863 students were included. The baseline prevalence of obesity was 5.7 %. After 4 years, the prevalence increased to 6.7 %. Among those with obesity at baseline, 35.3 % remained obese after 4 years. The addition of baseline physical fitness level did not improve the prediction for persistent obesity. Conclusions: One-third of obese students in junior primary school remained to be obese into adolescence. Their baseline physical fitness level did not improve the predictive value for future obesity. Further studies should investigate the prognostic factors that may influence the natural course of childhood obesity.

Research Findings: Previous studies have found that a growth mind-set was associated with optimal learning and well-being outcomes. However, much of this research has been conducted among adolescents and young adults. Relatively little is known as to whether these associations also apply to young children. The present study aimed to examine whether mind-sets are associated with school engagement and subjective well-being in the early childhood context (i.e. first-grade students). A total of 402 Hong Kong first-grade students (219 boys and 183 girls; mean age = 6.69) were recruited. Self-reported questionnaires were administered to assess students’ growth mind-set, engagement, and subjective well-being. Structural equation modeling was used to analyze the data. Results indicated that students who endorsed a growth mind-set were more likely to report higher levels of engagement and subjective well-being. Practice or Policy: Our study demonstrates the importance of growth mind-set for optimal functioning among young children. Growth mind-set may need to be nurtured in the early childhood context as a potential pathway to improving students’ academic engagement and subjective well-being. Copyright © 2022 Taylor & Francis Group, LLC.

To promote our understanding of moral behavior of adolescents as well as moral and civic education in Hong Kong, Wofoo Foundation collaborated with The Hong Kong Polytechnic University to conduct five studies. While the first three studies are survey studies examining the issues from the perspectives of high school students, teachers and parents, the fourth and fifth studies reviewed moral and character education in Hong Kong and examined the views of principals and teachers on moral and civic education, respectively. In this paper, we present the major findings and recommendations of these studies and integrate them for future service, policy and research considerations. Copyright © 2021 Nova Science Publishers, Inc.

Background: Adolescents (11-18-year-olds) are at risk of physical inactivity. There is limited knowledge of physical activity (PA) levels among adolescents in the school setting in Hong Kong. We developed and tested a novel theoretical model of how household/family characteristics, school-level social and physical environmental factors and individual adolescent's characteristics impact on their school-based PA during and after school hours.; Methods: Cross-sectional study participants were Hong Kong adolescents attending secondary school, paired with their parent/caregiver (n = 1299 dyads). Parents survey-reported on household/family characteristics, parental PA and rules related to PA. Adolescents survey-reported on school PA-friendly policy, PA equipment at school (combined to create PA-friendly index), social support for PA from peers, athletic ability, attitude to and enjoyment of PA. Adolescents self-reported their school-based PA during school hours (physical education; recess) and after school (sports teams/classes). Objectively-measured moderate-to-vigorous PA (MVPA) was measured using accelerometers for a sub-sample of adolescents (n = 588). Generalized additive mixed models were used to estimate how household/family-level and school-level factors, and adolescents' individual characteristics were related to adolescents' school-based PA in Hong Kong, and to identify potential mediators of these associations.; Results: A complex network of potential pathways of influence on adolescents' school-based PA was identified. Overall, most of the significant effects were indirect ones. However, there were far fewer significant pathways between household/family characteristics and objectively-measured MVPA at school than there were for self-reported PA at school. In fact, there were no indirect pathways between these variables and MVPA at school. Gender disparities among pathways were identified. For example, school PA-friendly index was significantly associated with MVPA

A student’s ‘meaning in life’ and his/her connectedness to school, friends and family are believed to be factors that influence the development of life skills. Teachers could be aware of these factors in their endeavours to foster ‘whole-person development’ in their students. In this small-scale study, twelve secondary school teachers participated in three focus groups and reported their perceptions of students’ meaning in life, connectedness and life skills. In general, they believed that having a definite goal means students have found preliminarily the meaning in life and the source of motivation. The teachers also observed that high achievers tend to set goals for future achievement, whereas the goals and aspirations of low achievers are much more short-term. Teachers suggested that development of students’ connectedness and life skills can be facilitated by the opportunity to converse with teachers, and the creation of a caring culture in schools that makes students feel valued. Conversely, parental expectations and strong academic orientation of the school may restrict students’ personal goal-setting. The findings have practical implications for teachers, counselling professionals and other support staff in schools because specific guidance activities can be devised to strengthen students’ connectedness, meaning in life, and life skills. Copyright © 2020 NAPCE.

The Tier 2 Program of the Project P.A.T.H.S. (Positive Adolescent Training through Holistic Social Programmes) aims to provide tailor-made programs to adolescents with greater psychosocial needs. Based on the subjective outcome evaluation data collected from 196 schools, the program implementers were asked to write down five conclusions in the evaluation reports. Results demonstrated that most of the conclusions pertaining to perceptions of the Tier 2 Program, instructors, and perceived effectiveness of the programs were positive in nature. Nevertheless, there were also conclusions that reflected the obstacles encountered and suggestions for improvements. Congruent with the previous evaluation findings, the current study suggests that the Tier 2 Program was well received by the stakeholders, and the evaluation findings generally suggest that the program was beneficial to the development of the program participants. Copyright © 2010 by Walter de Gruyter Berlin New York.