The Pattern of Longevity; (un)healthy lifestyle throughout European countries Erasmus Project

Project Title

The Pattern of Longevity; (un)healthy lifestyle throughout European countries

Project Key Action

This project related with these key action: Cooperation for innovation and the exchange of good practices

Project Action Type

This project related with this action type : Strategic Partnerships for Schools Only

Project Call Year

This project’s Call Year is 2017

Project Topics

This project is related with these Project Topics: Intercultural/intergenerational education and (lifelong)learning; Health and wellbeing

Project Summary

Due to the alarming information on the fact that the Eropean population has been growing obese in recent years and dramatic increase in numbers of people suffering from various types of cancerous diseases (mainly colon cancer) as well as decreasing number of pupils taking physical education lessons and being interested in sports, we chose this topic to try to support and teach the participants the principles of balanced diet, benefits of physical activity and ways to achieve physical and mental well-being.

16 students of each partner schools were chosen both the ones motivated but also the ones from not very privilleged background who otherwise would only hardly get any opportunity to work in a project of any kind.

The aim of the project was to raise awareness of increasing figures of obese people, decreasing figures of physical activity among young people and of health risks based of unhealthy diet/junk food and abusing addictive substances.

Each of the partner organisations selected one area of this broad topic and prepared a workshop reflecting the basic principles of it as well as other activities supporting the complexity of the project.
The topics were as follows:

Italy – food and balanced diet,
Poland – sport and physical activities, addictions and harmful habits,
Czech Republic – health risks, prevention and mental hygiene.

Every mobility workshop included a physical activity, dancing session in Italy, volleybal match and gym workout in Poland, and yoga session and gym workout in the Czech Republic. We also had a workshop of composing and cooking a balanced meal and workshop on relaxation techniques such as crochet. Experience workshops on prevention of health risks using and old age simulator and bio-impedance scales were also included.

We dealt with obesity and eating disorders (anorexia, bulimia), risks of unhealthy diet/lack of exercise/obesity for various age groups and harmful effects of smoking or excessive drinking alcohol.

The objectives of the project were:
– increase awareness of health risks resulting from obesity and lack of physical exercise,
– enhance physical activity that has provably gone down in recent years,
– widen the knowledge of prevention of the disorders based on the issues examined,
– teach participants effective methods of fighting stress,
– discourage the students from harmful addictions,
– transform consciousness and lifestyle of teenagers,
– create a manual which provides basic information about healthy lifestyle,
– disseminate the results and instructions among the peers and other age groups students are in contact with.

At the very start of the whole project we composed a questionnaire on the eating habits, frequency of physical activity, stress factors, ways of relaxing and mental hygiene, extent of knowledge about principles of balanced diet and BMI factor. The results of this survey served as a base for the whole project.

The particular outcome of the work throughout the whole activity is not only learning about principles of healthy lifestyle but also a manual (which can count BMI and WHR, classifies the health risks and suggest the basic changes in lifestyle) on how to live to achieve a long and healthy life. The students created an e-book which can be used to motivate not only their peers for lifestyle changes.
However, all the project activities served to present and teach the students the reason for a change, to look for healthy alternatives of their everyday diet, to realise the fact that sweet drinks should be only used occasionally and that everyday physical activity not only keeps them fit and attractive but also prevents many future health disorders. They were also presented with practical instructions on relaxation techniques.
One of the most important impacts of the project was the realisation that although Europe is unified, people and cultures may be different and that we should learn to be tolerant and to cope with the differences. Secondly it should be worth mentioning that by doing project work students’ language, communication and ICT skill improved considerably. For the teachers exchanging teaching experience and considerable improving of their ICT skills were beneficial.
There was only one change according to the original plan, due to many commitments of our Italian partner, the date for meeting in Poland was changed from spring 2018 to autumn 2018.

EU Grant (Eur)

Funding of the project from EU: 67780 Eur

Project Coordinator

Stredni zdravotnicka skola a Vyssi odborna skola zdravotnicka Emanuela Pöttinga a Jazykova skola s pravem statni jazykove zkousky Olomouc & Country: CZ

Project Partners

• IV Liceum Ogolnoksztalcace im.Kazimierza Wielkiego
• Istituto A. Volta