Hälsoverkstaden (Health workshop) Research project

Folkhälsan Research Center started a school and research project called Hälsoverkstaden in cooperation with Folkhälsan in 2006.

This health promotion project was directed to Swedish-speaking primary schools in the capital region of Helsinki and it aimed at increasing school children’s physical activity, intake of fruits and vegetables and sleep duration.

The aim of the research part in the project is to widen the understanding on how social and psychosocial environment at home and at school influences school children's health behavior, i.e. sleeping pattern, food habits and physical activity and the relationship between these health behaviors and overweight.

The study sample consists of approximately 1300 children who filled in a baseline study questionnaire in 2006 and a follow-up questionnaire in 2008 at Swedish-speaking schools in the Helsinki region. Data were also collected from the parents and a proportion of the children was measured and weighed.