Start: 01.01.2020
End: 31.12.2022
Coordinator: New Health Foundation
ENSE Network Partners: Europe Active; Sport Sciences School of Rio Maior (ESDRM)
Other Partners: Lithuanian Association of Health and Fitness Club; Comenius University, Association Europea Deporte, Ejercicio Y Salud (AEDESA)
Project Website: https://new-health.eu/en/projects/new-health-2022
Funding: European Commission / Erasmus+
The proportion of physical inactivity of citizens in the EU remains unacceptably high. 42% of EU citizens do not exercise or play sport at all (2017). This might indicate that the message about the importance of sport and physical activity for an individual's health and wellbeing has still not got through to significant segments of the EU population. More and more Europeans eat unhealthy and suffer chronically from stress. In the past 50 to 70 years, generations of us did not learn about the health & prevention guidelines, that research is giving us now, so it’s time for a knowledge update. Not only for the consumer, but specially for professionals who work with consumers, is healthcare, sports and lifestyle.
The aim of the New Health Program 'Lifestyle as medicine' is to provide sports- and lifestyle organizations, professionals, volunteers and consumers with easy to obtain and to understand knowledge and tools to improve physical activity, healthy eating, mental fitness and a healthy lifestyle. We will develop education standards for Lifestyle as medicine advisors, a free consumer lifestyle platform and Lifestyle as medicine advisor Course and e-learning. We will also conduct research on the role and impact Lifestyle as medicine advisors have on behavioral change of the target groups.
We use the international guidelines for healthy living from the WHO and the latest research on Lifestylemedicine and will translate this information to a healthy living easy to use e-learning and knowledge center. The Lifestyle as medicine advisor can be a sports professional, healthcare professional, teacher, but also a community worker, member of a sport organization or volunteer. New Health provides them with motivation and knowledge about healthy eating, sports, the risks of unhealthy living and the use of doping. We will create and support an European network of Lifestyle as medicine advisors. This way we want it is ensured that the knowledge of WHO and the Health Council about healthy exercise and healthy food, but also the knowledge about Positive health and behavioral change, is known and applied in neighborhoods throughout Europe.