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 in April 2025 with the milestone event RYHEALTH International.
What made this project unique: RYHEALTH translated health into four school-based focus areas – Physical Activity, Nutrition, Sustainability and Happiness – reflecting the four pillars of a healthy lifestyle developed and promoted by Outdoor Against Cancer (OAC). Over the course of 30 months, these themes were brought to life in schools across Europe through hands-on activities, research, and collaboration between students, teachers, and parents.
The Activity Project: Getting Active to Prevent Disease
Lack of physical activity is an increasing issue, especially among young people. A 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 (Spain) coordinated the research component of the project, showing clearly how regular physical activity can help prevent non-communicable diseases such as diabetes, cancer, and cardiovascular issues. At the same time, movement helps reduce stress and strengthens self-awareness – all vital skills for growing up healthy and resilient.
See the RYHEALTH Project Presentation – The Activity Project.
The Food Project: Eat Mindfully, Live Healthily
Healthy eating doesn’t start in the school cafeteria – it begins with awareness, habits, and conversations at home. The University of Coimbra (Portugal), in close collaboration with all project partners, coordinated the nutrition pillar of RYHEALTH.
Survey results showed:
- More than 50% of young people display very controlled or restrictive eating behaviour.
- Many children are already worried about weight and body image from an early age.
- Processed food and sugar consumption remain high.
The project focused on promoting reflection around eating habits and supporting students in discovering healthier, more mindful alternatives. Schools hosted cooking workshops, themed nutrition days, and shared meal ideas. Two standout contributions now featured on the RYHEALTH Hub include the Healthy Plate concept and the playful Healthy Alphabet.
See the RYHEALTH Project Presentation – The Food Project.
The Sustainability Project: Healthy Lives Need a Healthy Planet
A healthy environment is essential for healthy lives – both in and outside of school. Together with Region Västerbotten (Sweden), we at OAC helped develop an educational concept that connects environmental learning with health promotion.
Children explored:
- The link between food choices and climate impact
- Ways to reduce waste
- School gardening projects
- Sustainable mobility, such as walking or cycling to school
The goal: encouraging students to understand themselves as part of nature – and as active participants in shaping a more sustainable, healthier future.
See the RYHEALTH Project Presentation – The Sustainability Project.
The Happiness Project: Happiness at the Centre
Mental health is no longer a taboo – but in many schools, it’s still not systematically addressed. The Happiness Project, led by Campus di Monaco (Germany) and developed in close collaboration with OAC, focused on the emotional wellbeing of students.
Survey insights revealed:
- 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 experience significantly less stress.
To support schools, teachers received training in integrating resilience, mindfulness, and emotional skills into everyday classroom routines – equipping children to face challenges with more confidence and balance.
See the RYHEALTH Project Presentation – The Happiness Project.
The RYHEALTH Hub: Digital, Free, and Open to All
One of the core outcomes of the project is the RYHEALTH Hub – a multilingual, freely accessible digital platform with more than 50 tools for students, parents, and teachers.
The Hub offers:
- Videos and checklists
- Lesson plans and games
- Physical activity ideas
- Nutrition tools
- Mental health exercises
At OAC, we coordinated the creation of this Hub as part of our leadership of two central work packages: WP3 (RYHEALTH Toolbox) and WP5 (Impact and Dissemination).
The RYHEALTH Hub remains freely available beyond the formal end of the project: hub.ryhealth.net
Watch a live tour of the RYHEALTH Hub:
From Theory to Practice: Implementation in Schools
The Agrupamento de Escolas de Anadia (Portugal) demonstrated how the four RYHEALTH pillars can be practically applied in everyday school life. In collaboration with consortium partners – including OAC and Campus di Monaco – students organised activity days, planted gardens, created media content, and became real health ambassadors.
This locally adapted, internationally inspired approach turned ideas into action.
Conclusion: Health Is a Team Effort
RYHEALTH has shown that when education, health, and sustainability go hand in hand, real change is not only possible – it’s happening.
The project outcomes live on:
- Through the RYHEALTH Hub
- Through school partnerships across Europe
- Through empowered educators, young people, and families
- Through stakeholder networks and policymakers
- And through the sustainability plan developed by the consortium to continue this important work
At Outdoor Against Cancer, we are proud to have helped shape this journey – and we’ll keep working to ensure the momentum continues.
Together we learn. Together we grow.
