Did you know that four out of five European adolescents fail to meet physical activity guidelines? And that nearly half of them don’t eat fruit or vegetables on a daily basis? These unhealthy habits are contributing to a sharp rise in lifestyle-related diseases among young people, such as obesity, depression, and diabetes.

How did we get here?
Most interventions targeting youth are developed with little input from the young people themselves. As a result, they often fail to align with their needs and everyday realities. Moreover, these efforts tend to focus on individual behaviour, while overlooking the broader social and physical environments that shape it.

How is CONNECTION part of the solution?
CONNECTION takes an innovative approach. Young people are placed at the forefront, leading the design of interventions that reflect their own needs and lifestyles. In addition, CONNECTION addresses the environments that influence behaviour—such as the pricing and availability of unhealthy foods, and access to safe cycling paths and engaging playgrounds. This way, CONNECTION aims to create an environment in which healthy behaviours are stimulated and become the norm!

CONNECTION:

• Promotes physical activity and healthy eating habits among youth, helping to prevent disease;
• Uses an innovative approach by empowering youth to lead systemic change;
• Focuses on including youth from disadvantaged areas to reduce health inequalities;
• Facilitates collaboration between youth and adult stakeholders to ensure inclusive and sustainable solutions;
• Grounds intervention design in scientific evidence;
• Operates in five countries: Belgium, Denmark, Latvia, Lithuania, and Portugal, in co-operation with Italy and the Netherlands (Amsterdam UMC, section Child and Adolescent Public health Research and Innovation).

Want to learn more?
Visit our website: Connection