This study addresses the development of health-related behavior during childhood and adolescence and the protective influence of an authoritative parenting style. The study is based on two samples followed from Grades 2 through 5 and from Grades 4 through 7. The first sample consisted of 432 second graders with a mean age of 7.9 years at the beginning of the study, while the second sample consisted of 366 fourth graders with a mean age of 10.1 years. Later health behavior showed substantial correlations to previous health behavior over a 3-year interval. Moreover, there was an increase of favorable health behavior during elementary school and a decrease in the subsequent age periods. The slope for negative health behavior showed an inverted pattern. The level of this general trend was significantly affected by the perceived maternal and paternal parenting style and by gender. The significance of the results for health promotion is discussed.
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