How to empower teenagers in health issues: a practical guide for teachers

Health and Education are intrinsically related: improvements in education produce better health outcomes and vice versa.

 

Teachers and educators are an important part of teenagers’ lives both because they spend a lot of time with them and because of their role as a reliable guide and point of reference. In addition to being witnesses to the life of their students, they can also help them to become more aware on important issues and influence their behavior. Awareness is the first step towards more responsible choices.

As for health, for example, we know that teenagers tend to underestimate the long-term consequences of their present behaviors. Sleep, nutrition, substances and addictions, mental health are just some of the issues on which to focus attention. 

This guide provides information on four issues (healthy snacks, physical activity, sedentary behavior and screen time) of primary importance in the lives of teenagers. It also proposes some practical tips to apply in the daily practice to help you as a teachers to empower your students.

The guide is available in the following languages:

English

Catalan 

Dutch

Greek 

Italian

Spanish