RYHEALTH International Webinar – A Recap
30 Months Rock Your HEALTH – Together we learn. Together we grow.
Food, Happiness, Activity, Sustainability.
How can we successfully inspire children and young people to adopt a healthy lifestyle, in a sustainable, holistic, and practical way? This was the guiding question behind the launch of the European EU4Health project RYHEALTH: Rock Your HEALTH, which culminated after 30 months on 30 April 2025 with the milestone event RYHEALTH International. What makes it special: RYHEALTH translates health into four school-based projects: Physical Activity, Nutrition, Sustainability and Happiness, mirroring the four pillars of a healthy lifestyle promoted by project partner Outdoor Against Cancer (OAC, Germany), and brings them to life for schools, students, and parents alike.
Food, Happiness, Activity, Sustainability.
How can we successfully inspire children and young people to adopt a healthy lifestyle, in a sustainable, holistic, and practical way? This was the guiding question behind the launch of the European EU4Health project RYHEALTH: Rock Your HEALTH, which culminated after 30 months on 30 April 2025 with the milestone event RYHEALTH International. What makes it special: RYHEALTH translates health into four school-based projects: Physical Activity, Nutrition, Sustainability and Happiness, mirroring the four pillars of a healthy lifestyle promoted by project partner Outdoor Against Cancer (OAC, Germany), and brings them to life for schools, students, and parents alike.
The Activity Project: Getting Active to Prevent Disease --> RYHEALTH Project Presentation - The Activity Project
Lack of physical activity is an increasing issue, especially among young people. The Europe-wide project survey revealed:
Lack of physical activity is an increasing issue, especially among young people. The Europe-wide project survey revealed:
- Nearly a third of girls aged 11 to 17.9 reported no regular physical activity.
- Boys are generally more active, but many still fall short of the recommended daily movement levels.
The University of Cádiz (UCA, Spain) coordinated Work Package 2 - Research - State of Art and Field survey.
The project clearly showed how regular physical activity can help prevent non-communicable diseases like diabetes, cancer, and cardiovascular issues. At the same time, exercise helps reduce stress and supports self-awareness.
The Food Project: Eat Mindfully, Live Healthily --> RYHEALTH Project Presentation - The Food Project
Healthy eating doesn’t start in the school cafeteria, it begins with awareness at home and in our minds. The project coordinator University of Coimbra (UC, Portugal), in collaboration with all project partners, led the nutrition-focused part of the project.
The survey results include:
Healthy eating doesn’t start in the school cafeteria, it begins with awareness at home and in our minds. The project coordinator University of Coimbra (UC, Portugal), in collaboration with all project partners, led the nutrition-focused part of the project.
The survey results include:
- Over 50% of young people show signs of very controlled or restrictive eating behaviour.
- Many children worry about weight and body image from an early age.
- The consumption of processed foods and sugar remains high.
The project aimed not only to raise awareness but also to support the students' reflection on their eating habits and discover healthy alternatives. Activities included cooking workshops, themed nutrition days, and meal ideas, implemented by the school partners Agrupamento de Escolas de Anadia (AEAnadia, Portugal) and Campus di Monaco (CdM, Germany).
Two key highlights from the Food Project on the RYHEALTH Hub include the Healthy Plate concept and the Healthy Alphabet.
The Sustainability Project: Healthy Lives Need a Healthy Planet --> RYHEALTH Project Presentation - The Sustainability Project
A healthy environment is the foundation of healthy lives, both in and outside of school. Region Västerbotten (RV, Sweden) presented the development of a comprehensive sustainability concept developed by RV and OAC, that connects environmental education with health promotion.
A healthy environment is the foundation of healthy lives, both in and outside of school. Region Västerbotten (RV, Sweden) presented the development of a comprehensive sustainability concept developed by RV and OAC, that connects environmental education with health promotion.
- Children learned about the connection between food and climate, how to reduce waste, and how to get involved in school garden projects.
- Promoting sustainable mobility, like walking or biking to school, was also a key component.
The goal: encouraging students to take responsibility, understand themselves as part of nature, and realise that everyone can make a difference.
The Happiness Project: Happiness at the Centre --> RYHEALTH Project Presentation - The Happiness Project
Mental health is no longer a taboo topic, but in many schools, it is not yet systematically addressed. This is where the Happiness Project, presented by Campus di Monaco (Germany) and developed in collaboration with OAC (Germany), came in.
Key findings from the Europe-wide survey:
Key findings from the Europe-wide survey:
- Girls feel significantly more stressed than boys.
- Many adolescents rate their quality of life as only average.
- Those who sleep well, stay active, and eat healthily report significantly less stress.
Teachers were trained to integrate resilience, mindfulness, and emotional skills into everyday school life. The goal: giving children tools to face challenges with confidence and balance.
The RYHEALTH-Hub: Digital, Free, and Open to All
One of the project’s key outcomes is the multilingual, freely accessible RYHEALTH-Hub.
There, students, parents, and teachers can find over 50 resources, including videos, checklists, lesson plans, games, physical activity ideas, nutrition tips, and mental health exercises.
Outdoor Against Cancer (OAC, Germany) led the Work Package 3 (RYHEALTH Toolbox) and Work Package 5 (Impact and Dissemination) of the RYHEALTH project.
One of the project’s key outcomes is the multilingual, freely accessible RYHEALTH-Hub.
There, students, parents, and teachers can find over 50 resources, including videos, checklists, lesson plans, games, physical activity ideas, nutrition tips, and mental health exercises.
Outdoor Against Cancer (OAC, Germany) led the Work Package 3 (RYHEALTH Toolbox) and Work Package 5 (Impact and Dissemination) of the RYHEALTH project.
The Hub remains available beyond the end of the project.
From Theory to Practice: Implementation in Schools
The Agrupamento de Escolas de Anadia (AEAnadia, Portugal) showed how the four RYHEALTH projects can be practically implemented in the classroom, in close collaboration with other consortium partners. Students organised activity days, planted gardens, created media content, and became true health ambassadors.
What made it special: the school combined its experience with input from German partners, particularly OAC and CdM, resulting in a locally adapted, internationally inspired model.
Conclusion: Health is a Team Effort
RYHEALTH has shown that when education, health, and sustainability go hand in hand, real change is possible.
The outcomes live on, through the RYHEALTH Hub, through school partnerships across Europe, through stakeholder groups, through policy makers and finally through the Deliverable 5.4, the sustainability plan, the RYHEALTH consortium partners developed to guarantee the continuation of this important project.
RYHEALTH has shown that when education, health, and sustainability go hand in hand, real change is possible.
The outcomes live on, through the RYHEALTH Hub, through school partnerships across Europe, through stakeholder groups, through policy makers and finally through the Deliverable 5.4, the sustainability plan, the RYHEALTH consortium partners developed to guarantee the continuation of this important project.
Living the motto: Together we learn. Together we grow.
Author: Petra Thaller (OAC)