The goal of health education is to provide information to affect attitudes, beliefs, and
intentions for behavior change. However, little is known about the effects of changes
in knowledge on behaviors for osteoporosis prevention. Our objective is to develop and test theoretical models of the effects of knowledge, attitude, and self-ef cacy on exercise and calcium intake among young women before
and after an intervention program. First, we hypothesized that knowledge would
positively predict attitude, self-ef cacy, calcium intake, and exercise. Second, attitude would positively predict self-ef cacy, calcium intake, and exercise. Third, self-ef cacy
would positively predict calcium intake and exercise. Fourth, attitude and self-ef cacy
would mediate the effect of knowledge on calcium intake and exercise. At the beginning and end of the study, participants in the control group and
intervention group completed the osteoporosis knowledge test, the osteoporosis health
belief scale, the osteoporosis self-ef cacy scale, a self-report for food records, and
exercise.
The causal model was examined as a result of our study. After the intervention
program, calcium intake and exercise were predicted by knowledge when mediated