Engaging nursing students with a behaviour change intervention designed to improve their lifestyle

Background: In common with the general population, nursing students struggle to live a healthy lifestyle. Aims: To recruit students in a behaviour change intervention, using the COM-B model of behaviour change to understand engagement. Methods: Nursing students were invited to complete an online survey assessing height, weight, BMI, physical activity, lifestyle satisfaction, motivation for leading a healthy life, and quality of life. Those identified as overweight or not physically active were offered a webinar and social media site to support setting personal goals and boosting motivation to achieve a healthy lifestyle. Findings: 25% of invited students engaged with the interventions, 19% attending a webinar and 19% joining the social media site. No statistically reliable differences between those who engaged and those who did not were identified. Conclusion: Current models of behaviour change do not predict engagement. Interventions may need to be integrated into the curriculum to elicit change.